Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer

Maddy summaryThe National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act of 2022 extends the federal flood insurance program until December 31, 2023, instead of ending on September 30, 2022. This directly affects homeowners, renters, and businesses in communities participating in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), ensuring continued access to flood coverage. The bill amends two key sections of the 1968 law to update the program's expiration dates and includes a retroactive provision covering the period from September 30, 2022, through the new end date.

Military Spouse Hiring Act This bill expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include the hiring of a qualified military spouse. (The WOTC permits employers who hire individuals who are members of a targeted group such as qualified veterans, ex-felons, or long-term unemployment recipients to claim a tax credit equal to a portion of the wages paid to those individuals.) A qualified military spouse is any individual who is certified by the designated local agency as being (as of the hiring date) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces.

Chase COVID Unemployment Fraud Act of 2022 This bill addresses fraud and overpayments of pandemic unemployment assistance, including by allowing states to retain a specified percentage of recovered funds and prohibiting the Department of Labor from allowing blanket waivers of overpayments.

Deterring Enemy Forces and Enabling National Defenses Act of 2022 or the DEFEND Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Defense to seek to cooperate with Middle East allies and partners (i.e., countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and other countries in the region as appropriate) to identify and develop an approach for such allies and partners to implement an integrated air and missile defense capability to protect against attacks from Iran and groups linked to Iran.

Formula Act of 2022 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration to work through established processes to review and update internationally recognized standards for infant formula to ensure that such standards are consistent with standards applied to importing infant formula into the United States.

No Timber From Tyrants Act This bill prohibits the importation of wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. It also directs the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to replace these prohibited imports with timber production on certain lands. Specifically, the bill directs the President to prohibit the importation of all wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. The President may terminate this prohibition upon certification to Congress that certain conditions have been met, including that Russia or Belarus (or both, as applicable) reached an agreement to withdraw forces in Ukraine. Additionally, the bill directs Interior and USDA to authorize timber harvest in an amount sufficient to equal the volume, with respect to calendar year 2021, of imports of wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. Interior may authorize timber harvest only on public lands and USDA may authorize timber harvest only on National Forest System lands. The bill generally prohibits Interior and USDA from approving a plan that reduces the allowable sale quantity of timber.

My Child, My Choice Act of 2022 This bill prohibits an elementary school from receiving federal education funds unless a teacher requests written parental consent prior to teaching a lesson specifically related to gender identity, sexual orientation, or transgender studies. In particular, the bill requires a teacher to request written consent from the parent of each student enrolled in the class prior to teaching the lesson. If a parent does not submit written consent to the lesson, then the school must provide the student with an alternative period of learning or study hall. Further, the teacher may not teach the lesson if the principal does not receive written consent from the parents of at least 50% of the students enrolled in the class.

Emergency Rental Assistance Accountability and Transparency Act of 2022 This bill requires the Office of Inspector General of the Department of the Treasury to conduct monitoring and oversight of the receipt, disbursement, and use of funds made available under the emergency rental assistance program pursuant to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and recoup misused funds. The bill provides funding for these activities.

This concurrent resolution honors Ulysses S. Grant for his efforts and leadership in defending the union of the United States and affirms that he is among the most influential military commanders in the history of the country.

This resolution thanks the teachers of the United States and promotes the teaching profession by encouraging students, parents, school administrators, and public officials to recognize National Teacher Appreciation Week.