Rep. Louie Gohmert

This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Updating Payment Parameters, Section 1332 Waiver Implementing Regulations, and Improving Health Insurance Markets for 2022 and Beyond , which was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Department of the Treasury on September 27, 2021. The rule expands the open enrollment period for individual health coverage and rescinds the previous interpretation of certain requirements relating to Section 1332 waivers (also known as State Innovation Waivers or State Relief and Empowerment Waivers).

United Nations Human Rights Council Reform Act This bill prohibits the United States from making any contributions to the U.N. Commissions of Inquiries that relate to Israel as mandated by the U.N. Human Rights Council. The bill also requires U.S. representatives to the United Nations to advocate and vote for certain changes to the council, such as the institution of baseline criteria for membership.

COI Elimination Act This bill limits U.S. contributions to the United Nations pertaining to the U.N. Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. Current law imposes a cap on the annual U.S. contribution to the U.N. budget. The bill lowers that cap by 25% of the amount budgeted for the commission. The bill also states that it shall be U.S. policy to seek the abolition of the commission and combat systemic anti-Israel bias in international bodies.

Armed Forces Endangered Species Exemption Act This bill establishes exemptions from the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) for defense-related purposes. Specifically, the bill establishes exemptions from the ESA for (1) operations related to national defense, and (2) military personnel engaged in such operations. For example, the bill allows such personnel to take (e.g., harm or kill) endangered or threatened species. In addition, the bill expands restrictions on the Department of the Interior designating defense-related areas as critical habitat. It also exempts the Department of Defense from certain requirements to consult with Interior about critical habitats.

Small Scale LNG Access Act of 2022 This bill expedites the approval of applications for the exportation of natural gas that do not exceed 51.75 billion cubic feet per year. Specifically, the bill deems such applications to be consistent with the public interest and requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to grant the applications without modification or delay. However, applications for exportation of natural gas to any nation subject to sanctions imposed by the United States may not be expedited.

Maddy summaryH.J. Res. 46 is a joint resolution seeking to terminate the national emergency declared by President Trump on March 13, 2020, under the National Emergencies Act. If enacted, it would end the legal authority allowing federal agencies to bypass standard procedures during the pandemic response. This action would directly affect government operations relying on emergency powers, requiring agencies to revert to regular processes for ongoing programs. The resolution does not alter existing laws or create new policies - it solely ends the emergency designation.

This resolution urges the government of Argentina to bring the perpetrators of the March 17, 1992, terrorist attack on the Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires to justice (in 1999 the Supreme Court of Argentina found that the transnational terrorist organization Hezbollah was responsible for the attack). The resolution commends the Argentinian government for designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and urges other U.S. allies and partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to do the same. The resolution urges these allies and partners to condemn and counter regional governments in the hemisphere that aid and abet Iran and Hezbollah. The resolution also commends the Argentinian government for adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism and encourages other partners and allies to do the same. Finally, the resolution commends the Secretary General of the Organization of American States for appointing a Commissioner to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism in the Western Hemisphere.

Long-Term Care Affordability Act This bill allows the use of tax-exempt retirement plan distributions to pay for long-term health care insurance. Specifically, it excludes such distributions from the gross income of an insured individual up to $2,500 for per individual in a taxable year. It also imposes reporting requirements on plans and insured individuals and requires a description of long-term care insurance arrangements and facts sheets for employers and workers.

Preventing Abusive Government Efforts Act This bill prohibits the federal government from compiling or maintaining a list or other record of federal employees who have requested or been granted a religious exemption or accommodation regarding COVID-19 vaccination requirements. It also requires any such list or record in existence to be destroyed.

Pandemic Cessation Act This bill automatically terminates the COVID-19 public health emergency declared on January 31, 2020, when the Food and Drug Administration approves a new drug (or authorizes the emergency use of a drug) to treat COVID-19.