Rep. David B. McKinley

Congress Observing Police Service Resolution or the COPS Resolution This resolution urges each sitting Member of the House of Representatives to participate in one shift in a passenger seat of a law enforcement vehicle observing the work day of a local law enforcement officer each session of Congress. The Committee on House Administration shall promulgate regulations to carry out this resolution, including regulations (1) waiving such requirement for any Member who is physically incapable of participating in such a ride-along, and (2) requiring such Committee to maintain a readily available, public list that identifies whether a Member completed such a ride-along for each session of Congress. If the Committee on Ethics determines that a Member has not satisfied the requirement to participate in a ride-along for the previous session of the Congress and such requirement has not been waived, the Committee shall fine such Member $200.

This resolution condemns the unauthorized leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion concerning abortion and the related violence, property damage, and attempted intimidation of Supreme Court Justices by activists. It also encourages the enforcement of federal criminal laws that prohibit protests and picketing outside of the homes of federal judges, jurors, witnesses, and others involved in the U.S. court system.

Building America's Health Care Workforce Act This bill extends certain flexibilities relating to training and competency requirements for nurse aides in Medicare skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and Medicaid nursing facilities (NFs). Generally, SNFs and NFs may not hire nurse aides for longer than four months unless they meet certain training and certification requirements. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services waived some of these requirements during the COVID-19 emergency period so as to allow facilities to maintain adequate staffing levels; the waiver ends in June 2022. The bill extends these flexibilities for at least two years after the bill's enactment and specifies that (1) any time worked by a nurse aide during the emergency period counts toward the 75 hours required for initial training, and (2) a competency evaluation may be conducted at the SNF or NF where the nurse aide is employed if the state does not offer such an evaluation at least once a week.

Federal Firefighters Fairness Act of 2022 This bill makes it easier for federally employed firefighters who contract certain illnesses to qualify for federal workers' compensation. Specifically, the bill provides that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, mesothelioma, and specified other cancers of those employed in fire protection activities for at least five years are presumed to be proximately caused by such employment for purposes of a disability or death claim under the federal workers' compensation program. This presumption also applies to federal employees employed in fire protection activities for at least five years who experience a sudden cardiac event or stroke within 24 hours of performing a fire protection activity. The bill also requires the Department of Labor to conduct a review to determine whether breast cancer, gynecological cancer, and rhabdomyolysis should be included under the presumption and to conduct periodic reviews to determine whether other diseases should be included. In addition, a person may petition Labor to include another disease under the presumption. An employee in fire protection activities is a firefighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker who (1) is trained in fire suppression; (2) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression; (3) is engaged in the prevention, control, and extinguishing of fires or response to emergency situations where life, property, or the environment is at risk, including the prevention, control, suppression, or management of wildland fires; and (4) performs such activities as a primary responsibility.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should support the development of hydrocarbons via drilling, including by repealing administrative precedent that limits the exploration, drilling, and production of domestic natural resources on federal lands.

Veterans First Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from obligating or expending any amounts to provide emergency assistance in response to an emergency at the southern border directly resulting from the repeal of certain public health orders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Specifically, the bill prohibits such emergency assistance in response to the repeal of the order issued on August 2, 2021, titled Public Health Reassessment and Order Suspending the Right To Introduce Certain Persons From Countries Where a Quarantinable Communicable Disease Exists ; the order issued on April 1, 2022, titled Public Health Determination and Order Regarding Suspending the Right To Introduce Certain Persons From Countries Where a Quarantinable Communicable Disease Exists ; and an order relating to the same public health concerns as the listed orders.

Maddy summaryThe Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2022 (HR 7556) makes several administrative improvements to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to better serve veterans. It creates an internship program for law students and a pilot honors program to recruit legal professionals for the Board of Veterans' Appeals, with requirements for mentorship and student loan repayment. The bill also mandates the publication of disability benefit forms (with limited exceptions), requires contractors to communicate with veterans' power of attorney representatives, and allows veterans to consent to electronic notifications of benefit decisions. Additionally, it requires reports on improving telehearings, medical examinations for overseas veterans, and support for governmental veterans service officers. These changes aim to streamline VA processes and improve access to benefits for veterans.

No Timber From Tyrants Act This bill prohibits the importation of wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. It also directs the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to replace these prohibited imports with timber production on certain lands. Specifically, the bill directs the President to prohibit the importation of all wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. The President may terminate this prohibition upon certification to Congress that certain conditions have been met, including that Russia or Belarus (or both, as applicable) reached an agreement to withdraw forces in Ukraine. Additionally, the bill directs Interior and USDA to authorize timber harvest in an amount sufficient to equal the volume, with respect to calendar year 2021, of imports of wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. Interior may authorize timber harvest only on public lands and USDA may authorize timber harvest only on National Forest System lands. The bill generally prohibits Interior and USDA from approving a plan that reduces the allowable sale quantity of timber.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits using federal funds to establish a Disinformation Governance Board under the Department of Homeland Security. It directly affects the DHS by blocking any allocation of taxpayer money for creating this board. The key provision is a funding restriction that prevents the board's formation, requiring Congress to specifically authorize such spending if desired. The bill does not address disinformation policies or content, only the funding mechanism for the proposed board.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the use of federal funds to establish or operate a Disinformation Governance Board under the Department of Homeland Security. It directly affects the Department of Homeland Security by blocking funding for this specific board, preventing its creation or activities. The measure restricts how existing federal appropriations can be applied, without altering other funding mechanisms.