Rep. Susan Wild

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.

This bill retroactively applies the Generalized System of Preferences (a U.S. trade preference program that provides duty-free access to imports on products from certain developing countries) for the period after December 31, 2020, and before September 1, 2022. These covered articles shall be liquidated or reliquidated as though entry occurred on December 31, 2020. A request for liquidation or reliquidation must be filed with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and such request must contain sufficient information for CBP to locate the entry or, if the entry cannot be located, reconstruct the entry. Any amounts owed by the United States pursuant to liquidation or reliquidation of an entry of a covered article shall be paid without interest.

Maddy summaryHR 8868, the Solidify Iran Sanctions Act of 2022, repeals the sunset provision in the 1996 Iran Sanctions Act, making existing sanctions against Iran permanent. It removes the expiration date from the sanctions regime, ensuring they remain in effect without needing periodic renewal. This bill directly affects the enforcement of current U.S. sanctions targeting Iran’s weapons programs, ballistic missile development, and support for terrorism, as defined under the 1996 Act. The key change is procedural, maintaining the status quo of existing sanctions without introducing new penalties or altering the scope of prohibited activities.

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.

This resolution condemns Azerbaijan's September 2022 military attack on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh and calls for an end to all U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan.

Supporting Medicare Providers Act of 2022 This bill extends a payment increase under Medicare's physician fee schedule through the end of 2023 (currently set to expire at the end of 2022).

National Nuclear University Research Infrastructure Reinvestment Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 and expands the Nuclear Energy University Program within the Department of Energy (DOE) that supports university research and training in nuclear science and engineering. For example, the bill expands the program to provide support to universities for revitalizing and upgrading existing nuclear science and engineering infrastructure that support the development of advanced nuclear technologies and applications. In addition, the bill establishes an Advanced Nuclear Research Infrastructure Enhancement Subprogram under which DOE must establish four new research reactors as well as new nuclear science and engineering facilities.

This resolution urges the Brazilian government to ensure that the October 2022 elections are conducted in a free, fair, credible, transparent, and peaceful manner that enables all citizens of Brazil to exercise the right to vote. The resolution call for the U.S. government to immediately recognize the outcome of the election in Brazil, if that election is determined by international observers and organizations to have been free and fair.

Access to Inpatient Rehabilitation Therapy Act of 2022 This bill allows, for purposes of Medicare payment, an intensive rehabilitation therapy program to include other skilled therapeutic modalities besides physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology services, or orthotic and prosthetic services, as recommended by the treating physician after the patient is admitted. The bill applies after December 31, 2022, or the last day of the COVID-19 public health emergency, whichever is earlier.

Microelectronics Research for Energy Innovation Act or the Micro Act This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to carry out a cross-cutting program of research, development, and demonstration of microelectronics relevant to the mission of DOE and in the service of the nation's global competitiveness in the field of microelectronics. In carrying out such program, DOE shall award financial assistance to eligible entities, such as national laboratories, to carry out research projects in, among other things, foundational science areas and methods for leveraging artificial intelligence. The Office of Science within DOE shall establish up to four Microelectronics Science Research Centers to conduct mission-driven research to address foundational challenges in the design, development, and fabrication of microelectronics and to facilitate the translation of research results to industry. The Office of Science, in coordination with the Office of Technology Transitions, shall implement partnerships with industry groups to facilitate the translation and transfer of research results produced by the centers.