Rep. Tom Cole

Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 This bill provides support to Taiwan and addresses related issues. For example, the bill (1) establishes a comprehensive training program with Taiwan's government to familiarize the U.S. military and Taiwan's military with each other and achieve interoperability, and (2) authorizes the Department of State to take actions to help Taiwan become a non-borrowing member of the Inter-American Development Bank.

State Antitrust Enforcement Venue Act of 2022 This bill limits the transfer and consolidation of antitrust cases that are brought by states in federal court. Current law generally permits federal civil cases that are related to be transferred to a single district court and consolidated for pretrial proceedings. However, under current law, antitrust cases brought by the federal government are exempt from transfer and consolidation. This bill adds to that exemption antitrust cases brought by states.

Strengthening Tribal Families Act of 2022 This bill requires a state plan for child welfare services and a state plan related to the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program to ensure that the state shall comply with all federal standards established under the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to submit biennial reports to Congress on certain reviews of child and family service programs.

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.

Helen Keller National Center Reauthorization Act of 202 2 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 the Helen Keller National Center for Youths and Adults Who Are Deaf-Blind.

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.

Simplified Joint Consolidation Separation Act This bill establishes a process for separation of joint consolidation loans. Specifically, the bill allows the two borrowers of a joint consolidation loan for their federal student loan debt to jointly request that the Department of Education or loan holder separate their existing joint consolidated loan into two individual consolidation loans. One borrower may request separation of the joint consolidation loan into two individual consolidation loans in the event that the individual has experienced domestic or economic abuse from the other individual borrower or is subject to a decree or agreement requiring the separation of such joint loans and obligations.

TCJA Permanency Act This bill makes permanent provisions affecting individual and business taxpayers that were enacted in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. The bill makes permanent reductions in individual and capital gain tax rates. The bill increases the standard tax deduction for individual taxpayers. It also increases and modifies the child tax credit and raises the contribution base for the tax deduction for charitable contributions. The bill allows additional contributions to ABLE accounts (tax-exempt accounts designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save and pay for disability-related expenses). It exempts from taxation combat zone benefits of members of the Armed Forces serving in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and limits the deduction for moving expenses to active duty members of the Armed Forces. Additionally, the bill expands the types of elementary and secondary school expenses eligible for payment from qualified tuition programs (529 programs); lowers to $750,000 the amount of mortgage debt eligible for an interest expense tax deduction; reinstates after 2023 the exclusion of income from the gross income of student loan borrowers for loan debt discharged due to death or total and permanent disability; makes permanent the limitation on the tax deduction for state and local taxes and denies a deduction for foreign real property taxes; makes permanent the tax deduction of the income of certain pass-through business entities; repeals the tax deduction for personal tax exemptions and the exclusion of employer-provided bicycle commuter fringe benefits; terminates certain miscellaneous itemized tax deductions; doubles the estate and gift tax exemption amount; and makes permanent the increase of the alternative minimum tax exemption amount for individual taxpayers.

This joint resolution approves of a location of a commemorative work to honor the commitment of the United States to a free press by honoring journalists who sacrificed their lives in service to that cause. Specifically, the approved location is within Area I, as depicted on the map titled Commemorative Areas Washington, DC and Environs , and dated June 24, 2003.

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.