Rep. Marcy Kaptur

Invest to Protect Act of 2022 This bill directs the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to award grants to local and tribal governments that employ fewer than 125 law enforcement officers. Grant funds may be used for various activities, including to provide de-escalation training and improve recruitment and retention.

Aquatic Invasive Species Control Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and otherwise expands a program for addressing invasive species with adverse effects on water quality, water quantity, or ecosystems.

Maddy summaryHCONRES 107 is a symbolic resolution designating the week of September 18-24, 2022, as "National Fall Prevention Awareness Week" to highlight fall risks for older adults (65+). It does not create new laws or funding but encourages awareness of existing fall prevention strategies like balance exercises, home safety modifications, and medication management. The resolution cites CDC data showing falls cause 34,000 annual deaths and $50 billion in yearly medical costs for seniors. It urges collaboration among government agencies, healthcare providers, and communities to reduce falls but does not mandate policy changes.

Social Security Fairness Act of 2021 This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. The bill eliminates the government pension offset , which in various instances reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision , which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. These changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2021.

This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.

Maddy summaryHR 7618 designates the Kol Israel Foundation Holocaust Memorial in Bedford Heights, Ohio, as a national memorial. The bill formally recognizes the memorial's role in preserving the memory of Holocaust victims and honoring survivors who built it. Crucially, the designation does not make the site part of the National Park System and explicitly states no federal funds will be used for the memorial. This is a commemorative measure affecting the memorial's official status, not a policy change with operational requirements.

Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and modifies operations of the Peace Corps. Changes include increasing the readjustment allowance paid to volunteers when their service terminates and providing statutory authority for an executive order that grants returned volunteers noncompetitive eligibility for federal civil-service positions. Additionally, the bill entitles returned volunteers to sixty days of health care benefits. The Peace Corps must also provide volunteers with information about enrolling in U.S. health plans before service termination and mental health care during and after service. The bill also includes provisions to address involuntary termination of Peace Corps service in emergencies, including by expediting re-enrollment of involuntarily terminated volunteers. The Peace Corps must also adequately insure volunteers' safety and must coordinate with the Department of State to periodically update agreements concerning the security of Peace Corps volunteers and staff abroad. The bill also authorizes Peace Corps to recruit domestically based volunteers to serve in the United States at the request of another agency or to provide services in a host country virtually, modifies the Peace Corps National Advisory Council's membership and functions, expands whistleblower protections for volunteers, increases the rate of pay that applies to a volunteer's workers compensation claim, requires Peace Corps to implement a zero tolerance drug use policy regarding volunteer involvement with illegal drugs, and emphasizes the use of the internet in Peace Corps programs. Furthermore, the bill requires reporting, including on the provision of mental health services to volunteers.

Maddy summaryHRES 1366 is a non-binding resolution expressing congressional support for designating October 8, 2022, as "National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Day." It commemorates hydrogen and fuel cell technologies without creating new laws or affecting any group directly. The resolution highlights hydrogen's role in clean energy, transportation (including vehicles and buses), power generation, and U.S. leadership in these technologies. It serves as a symbolic gesture to recognize the industry's contributions to energy, environmental, and economic goals.

Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2022 This bill establishes several requirements and standards relating to prior authorization processes under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Specifically, MA plans must (1) establish an electronic prior authorization program that meets specified standards, including the ability to provide real-time decisions in response to requests for items and services that are routinely approved; (2) annually publish specified prior authorization information, including the percentage of requests approved and the average response time; and (3) meet other standards, as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, relating to the quality and timeliness of prior authorization determinations.

Lake Erie Water Quality Protection Act This bill requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize implementation of dredged material management plans for federally authorized harbors in Ohio. Plans must limit open-lake disposal of dredged material and maximize its beneficial use.