Rep. Shontel M. Brown

Capitol Remembrance Act This bill requires the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to design and install in a prominent location in the U.S. Capitol a permanent exhibit that depicts the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. To the extent possible, the AOC must preserve property that was damaged during the attack and include it in the exhibit. The AOC must also include (1) existing photographic records relating to the attack; and (2) a plaque to honor the U.S. Capitol Police and other law enforcement agencies that protected the Capitol, the individuals who died or sustained injuries to protect the Capitol, and the staff who helped restore the Capitol complex after the attack.

This resolution condemns all acts of political violence, as well as attacks on health care facilities, health care personnel, and patients. The resolution also states that all people have the freedom to access reproductive health care services and medical advice without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment. Finally, the resolution calls on the Biden Administration to use all appropriate authorities to uphold public safety, protect health care facilities, and safeguard health care personnel and patients.

Non-Recognition of Russian Annexation of Ukrainian Territory Act This bill prohibits any federal agency from taking any action or extending any assistance that recognizes or implies recognition of Russia's sovereignty over any internationally recognized territory of Ukraine, including its airspace and territorial waters.

Maddy summaryHR 52, the Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act, promotes safe firearm storage through several concrete measures. It requires firearm manufacturers to include a "SAFE STORAGE SAVES LIVES" notice with each new handgun, rifle, or shotgun sold, directing buyers to the Attorney General’s public website with safe storage guidance. The bill also creates a federal grant program ($10 million annually) for states and tribes to develop public programs distributing safe storage devices (like locked containers or trigger locks), and establishes a tax credit for individuals purchasing such devices. These provisions directly affect firearm manufacturers, state/local governments, and the public seeking to secure firearms responsibly.

Maddy summaryHR 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, would admit Washington, D.C. as the 51st state, named "Washington, Douglass Commonwealth," granting its residents full representation in Congress with two Senators and one Representative. The bill establishes procedures for admission, including elections for state officials, with the state initially having one Representative until the next congressional apportionment. It would create a "Capital" area (including the White House, Capitol, and other key federal buildings) that remains under federal jurisdiction as the seat of the U.S. government, while the rest of the District becomes the new state. The bill also includes provisions to ensure continuity of federal services, property management, and legal procedures during the transition to statehood.

Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The commission must (1) compile documentary evidence of slavery in the United States; (2) study the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery; (3) analyze discriminatory laws and policies against freed African slaves and their descendants; and (4) recommend ways the United States may recognize and remedy the effects of slavery and discrimination on African Americans, including through a formal apology and compensation (i.e., reparations). The commission consists of individuals from civil society and reparations organizations and individuals appointed by the President and congressional leadership; Members of Congress and governmental employees may not serve on the commission. The commission may hold hearings, subpoena witnesses and records, and contract with other entities to conduct its work. The commission must submit its final report within 18 months of its first meeting.

American Music Fairness Act of 2022 This bill establishes that the copyright holder of a sound recording shall have the exclusive right to perform the sound recording through an audio transmission and addresses other related issues. (Currently, the public performance right only covers performances through a digital audio transmission in certain instances, which means that nonsubscription terrestrial radio stations generally do not have to secure a license to publicly perform a copyright-protected sound recording.) Under the bill, a nonsubscription broadcast transmission must have a license to publicly perform such sound recordings. The Copyright Royalty Board must periodically determine the royalty rates for such a license. When determining the rates, the board must base its decision on certain information presented by the parties, including the radio stations' effect on other streams of revenue related to the sound recordings. Terrestrial broadcast stations (and the owners of such stations) that fall below certain revenue thresholds may pay certain flat fees, instead of the board-established rate, for a license to publicly perform copyright-protected sound recordings.

Environmental Justice For All Act This bill establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs and modifies the scope of environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. The bill sets forth provisions to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. It also prohibits disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin as discrimination. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice. For example, agencies must prepare community impact reports that assess the potential impacts of their actions on environmental justice communities under certain circumstances. It also raises coal, oil, and gas royalty rates to create a funding source to support fossil fuel-dependent communities and displaced workers as they transition away from fossil fuel industries. Additionally, the bill creates a variety of advisory bodies and positions, such as the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. Among other things, the council must issue an environmental justice strategy. It also establishes requirements and programs concerning chemicals or toxic ingredients in certain products. For example, the bill (1) requires certain products (e.g., cosmetics) to include a list of ingredients or warnings; and (2) provides grants for research on designing safer alternatives to chemicals in certain consumer, cleaning, toy, or baby products that have an inherent toxicity or that are associated with chronic adverse health effects. Finally, it creates a variety of funding programs, such as a grant program to enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in urban areas.

This act designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 226 North Main Street in Roseville, Ohio, as the Ronald E. Rosser Post Office.

This resolution condemns the actions of a White supremacist mob that drove Black residents out of Atlanta, Georgia in 1906 and supports the designation of a national day of remembrance for the victims of forced migrations of Black Americans.