Rep. Lloyd Doggett

Restorative Practices in Schools Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Education to award grants for local educational agencies to replace existing zero-tolerance disciplinary polices and punitive discipline in elementary and secondary schools with restorative practices. Additionally, the bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the use of discipline practices that funnel students out of school and toward the juvenile legal and criminal legal systems (i.e., the school-to-prison pipeline).

Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022 This bill makes various changes with respect to employer-sponsored retirement plans, including providing for the automatic enrollment of employees in certain plans and increasing the age at which participants are required to begin receiving mandatory distributions.

Veteran Deportation Prevention and Reform Act This bill provides protections from deportation for noncitizen veterans and contains other related provisions. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) must identify each individual in removal proceedings who is a member of the Armed Forces, a veteran, or a noncitizen spouse or minor child of such an individual. That individual may not be removed until (1) ICE has transferred that individual's case files to an advisory committee created under this bill, and (2) that committee has provided recommendations as to the outcome of the case. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shall create a system to share information across various agencies about noncitizen veterans who may be subject to removal to ensure that such a veteran's military service is taken into consideration in immigration-related cases. DHS shall also create a system for (1) identifying noncitizens who are or may be veterans, and (2) collecting data relating to such noncitizens who are in removal proceedings or may have been removed. DHS and the Department of Defense must jointly carry out a program to naturalize a noncitizen (and the noncitizen's spouse and minor children) who serves on active duty in the Armed Forces and is not otherwise ineligible for citizenship if that noncitizen submits an application. DHS shall also establish a program for eligible noncitizen veterans (generally those not convicted for certain serious crimes) to obtain permanent resident status. Similarly, the Department of Justice shall provide permanent resident status to such an eligible veteran in removal proceedings or subject to a final order of removal.

Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act of 2022 or the FAIR Act of 2022 This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.

This resolution recognizes the important role of local nutrition programs supported through the Older Americans Act of 1965 in addressing senior hunger, malnutrition, and isolation.

Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Reauthorization Act or the STOP Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2027 and revises grants and other activities for reducing underage drinking. In particular, the bill modifies the scope of certain activities to incorporate a focus on the adoption and enforcement of state laws and policies for preventing and reducing underage drinking. This includes (1) assessing in annual reports whether states have adopted best practices related to laws, regulations, and enforcement practices; and (2) establishing a pilot program to collect uniform data from states and localities about their enforcement of underage drinking laws. In addition, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration must contract with the National Academy of Sciences to review the research literature regarding the influence of drinking on adolescent brain development.

Into the Light for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders Act of 2022 or the Into the Light for MMH and SUD Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 a program that addresses maternal depression and, among other changes, expands its scope to include mental health and substance use disorders. It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services to maintain a national hotline to provide mental health and substance use disorder resources to pregnant and postpartum women and their families.

Maddy summaryHRES 982 is a ceremonial resolution recognizing the service of AmeriCorps members, alumni, and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers. It acknowledges their contributions to communities across the U.S., including supporting vulnerable populations, environmental protection, disaster response, education, and economic opportunity through over 250,000 annual volunteers. The resolution encourages the public to honor these volunteers during AmeriCorps Week (March 13-19, 2022) and promotes national service as a way to address community needs. It does not create new laws, funding, or obligations - it is purely a symbolic gesture of appreciation.

Honoring Harriet Tubman Act This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to obtain a statue of Harriet Tubman and place the statue in a suitable permanent location in National Statuary Hall.

This concurrent resolution condemns violence and threats of violence against historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and reaffirms the federal government's commitment to combating violence against HBCU students, faculty, and staff.