Rep. Ayanna Pressley

America's Call To Improve Opportunities Now for National Service Act or the ACTION for National Service Act This bill (1) converts the Corporation for National and Community Service into the AmeriCorps Administration and revises its membership, leadership, and authority; (2) reauthorizes programs carried out by the administration; (3) establishes a National Service Foundation to accept and administer gifts on behalf of the administration; (4) modifies the calculation of national service educational awards; and (5) otherwise modifies provisions related to national and volunteer service programs. Additionally, the bill creates an interagency Civilian Climate Corps, operated by the administration, to conduct service projects addressing climate change.

Maddy summaryHRES 939 is a symbolic House resolution expressing support for designating February 21-25, 2022, as "Public Schools Week." It does not create new policies, allocate funding, or impose requirements on schools or students. The resolution uses supportive language to acknowledge public education's role in democracy but has no legal effect. It was introduced by multiple representatives as a non-binding gesture of appreciation for public schools.

This resolution recognizes the value and importance of the work being done by the six Palestinian civil society organizations defending the human rights of a vulnerable and at-risk Palestinian population living under Israeli military occupation. The resolution also condemns as a repressive act designed to criminalize and persecute important Palestinian human rights organizations the decision by the Israeli government to designate six prominent Palestinian human rights and civil society groups as terrorist organizations. Finally, the resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that President Biden and the Department of State should publicly condemn this authoritarian and antidemocratic act of repression by the Israeli government against prominent Palestinian civil society organizations; call on Israeli authorities to immediately end efforts aimed at persecuting, delegitimizing, and criminalizing Palestinian human rights defenders and civil society organizations; and state the ongoing U. S. commitment to recognize the valuable work of Palestinian civil society organizations.

Stop Unfair Medicaid Recoveries Act of 2022 This bill prohibits state Medicaid programs from using estate recovery to recoup the costs of benefits. States must withdraw property liens within 90 days of the bill's enactment.

This resolution extends collective bargaining rights prescribed in the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to employees of the House of Representatives.

Housing Emergencies Lifeline Program Act of 2022 or the HELP Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a database of information regarding evictions from federally assisted dwellings, limits the inclusion of information relating to landlord-tenant actions in consumer reports, and otherwise provides eviction-related assistance and services. Specifically, the bill requires states and local entities receiving federal housing assistance to submit to HUD, for inclusion in the database, certain information regarding evictions from assisted dwelling units in the past year. Such information must include, among other things, the reason for eviction and whether the household was represented by legal counsel in the proceedings. Additionally, the bill prohibits a consumer reporting agency from making a consumer report containing an eviction or item related to an eviction from a rental dwelling or any adverse information related to rent or utility arrears. Further, the bill authorizes additional Emergency Solutions Grants to provide legal counsel and pay court fees for tenants subject to or at risk of eviction. Finally, HUD must require owners of federally assisted rental units to (1) annually provide information to each tenant regarding the rights and responsibilities of the owner with respect to eviction and local organizations and resources that can provide assistance in eviction-related matters; and (2) upon provision of an eviction notice, information stating the reason for the eviction. HUD must also establish an eviction hotline to provide assistance to tenants of these units.

Part-Time Worker Bill of Rights Act This bill modifies various employment, leave, and pension rules with respect to part-time workers. Specifically, the bill removes the requirement that employees work a minimum number of hours during the preceding 12-month period before becoming eligible for family and medical leave. The bill also sets the maximum length of service on which employers may condition the eligibility of part-time employees for a qualified pension plan (e.g., 401(k) retirement plan). Except as required by an applicable collective bargaining agreement, such service requirement may be no longer than two consecutive 12-month periods of at least 500 hours of service for part-time employees who have reached the age of 21 by the end of such periods. The bill further prohibits employers of more than 15 employees from setting disparate terms of employment or working conditions for part-time employees, including with respect to compensation, notice of work hours, and promotion opportunities, among others. Additionally, the bill requires such employers to offer available, qualified part-time employees additional work hours before hiring new employees for such hours. Among other enforcement methods, employers must maintain three years of records for offers of additional hours and employee responses to such offers. The bill also provides a private right of action for employees to enforce the nondiscrimination requirements of this bill.

Global Respect Act This bill imposes visa-blocking sanctions on foreign persons responsible for or complicit in violating the human rights of individuals due to actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics. The President must report and periodically update a list of foreign persons responsible for such human rights violations and apply sanctions accordingly. The Department of State must designate at least one senior officer who shall be responsible for tracking violence and discrimination against individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or sex characteristics in foreign countries.

Safer Heat Act of 2022 This bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish safety standards for portable heating devices, including a requirement that a device shuts off at a threshold determined hazardous by the commission. The commission is authorized to enforce these standards.

Stop the Wait Act of 2022 This bill allows individuals with disabilities to begin receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in the month they become eligible for the benefits. It also allows these individuals to immediately enroll in Medicare if they cannot afford minimum essential coverage. (Under current law, an individual must generally wait 5 months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.)