Rep. Dan Newhouse

Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Amendments of 2022 This bill expands and modifies the Water Infrastructure and Innovation Act (WIFIA) loan program by, for example, expanding eligibility to state water storage projects, transferred works, and certain nonfederally owned projects. WIFIA provides credit assistance through secured or direct loans for water infrastructure projects.

Hydrogen Permitting Simplification Act This bill exempts certain major federal actions, including actions that produce hydrogen from nuclear, solar, wind, or geothermal energy sources, from requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Endangered Species Act to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue protective regulations for endangered species, changing the current "may" to "shall" for this action. It clarifies that such regulations can prohibit activities listed in Section 9 (like harming species or their habitats) but only apply in states that haven't adopted equivalent rules through cooperative agreements. The bill also updates Section 9 to reference these new regulations. This change directly affects how federal protections are implemented for species listed as endangered, ensuring consistent conservation measures nationwide unless states adopt their own rules.

Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act This bill addresses various provisions related to the regulation of domestic agricultural products, including by requiring the Department of Agriculture to publish criteria for considering requests from meat and poultry establishments to operate at line speeds in excess of the current regulatory limitations. The bill also nullifies the final rule issued by the Council on Environmental Quality on April 20, 2022, that reinstated various National Environmental Policy Act regulatory provisions.

Promoting Cross-b order Energy Infrastructure Act This bill establishes a new process for approving the construction and operation of energy infrastructure across an international border of the United States and replaces the existing process established under specified executive orders. Specifically, this bill requires a person to obtain a certificate of crossing before constructing, connecting, operating, or maintaining a border-crossing facility for the import or export of oil, natural gas, or electricity across an international border. A certificate must be obtained from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for a facility consisting of oil or natural gas pipelines or the Department of Energy (DOE) for an electric transmission facility. As a condition of issuing a certificate, DOE must require that an electric transmission facility be constructed, connected, operated, or maintained consistent with specified policies and standards. FERC and DOE must meet a deadline for issuing a certificate as set forth by this bill. The bill also requires FERC to meet a deadline for approving applications to import or export natural gas to or from Canada or Mexico.

Critical Minerals Classification Improvement Act of 2022 This bill permits the inclusion of fuel minerals (e.g., uranium) on a list of mineral commodities that are critical to the U.S. economy and national security. (Fuel minerals are currently excluded from the list.) Additionally, the U.S. Geological Survey must revise the list to add critical fuel minerals if it determines the revisions are necessary.

Federal Columbia River Power System Certainty Act This bill requires Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) operations to be consistent with a specified decision. The system includes dams in the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest. Specifically, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Bonneville Power Administration, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must operate the FCRPS consistent with the Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision dated September 2020. The preferred alternative outlined in that decision would allow specified dams in the lower Snake River to remain in place. The decision may be amended if each agency determines that (1) changes are necessary for public safety or electrical grid reliability, or (2) certain requirements in the decision are no longer necessary. Further, the bill requires statutory authorization for any structural modification, action, study, or engineering plan that (1) restricts FCRPS hydroelectric dam generation; or (2) limits navigation on the Snake River in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho.

Stop Iranian Drones Act This bill expands existing provisions requiring sanctions against individuals or entities that provide certain types of weapons to Iran. Specifically, the bill modifies the provisions by adding unmanned combat aerial vehicles to the list of weapons covered by the sanctions. The bill also requires the Department of State to periodically report to Congress on the identities of any Iranian entity that has attacked a U.S. citizen using an unmanned combat aerial vehicle. The President must designate any such entity as a foreign terrorist organization.

Prohibition of Agricultural Land for the People's Republic of China Act This bill requires the President to prohibit nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, and agents associated with China's government from (1) purchasing agricultural (including ranching) real estate located in the United States, or (2) participating in Department of Agriculture programs that are unrelated to food and safety regulatory requirements.

Community Services Block Grant Modernization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes the Community Services Block Grant program through FY2032 and otherwise modifies the program. The program supports various antipoverty activities, primarily through formula-based allotments to states, Indian tribes, and territories. In particular, the bill makes changes to the program's administration and leadership; performance measurement; and allotments to states and territories. The bill also expands eligibility for services and activities funded by the program to 200% of the federal poverty line (FPL). Under current law, eligibility is generally set at the FPL.