Respect for Marriage Act This bill provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages. Specifically, the bill repeals and replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage that is valid under state law. (The Supreme Court held that the current provisions were unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor in 2013.) The bill also repeals and replaces provisions that do not require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states with provisions that prohibit the denial of full faith and credit or any right or claim relating to out-of-state marriages on the basis of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, or national origin. (The Supreme Court held that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015; the Court held that state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.) The bill allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations.
Sponsored bills
Expanding Access to Family Planning Act This bill provides, subject to specified conditions, funding through FY2032 for federally funded family planning services and clinics. In particular, the funds must be used for (1) grants and contracts that support the provision of family planning services, and (2) clinic infrastructure (e.g., construction and renovation of clinics). Clinics that receive funding to provide family planning services must offer each patient with a positive pregnancy test the opportunity for nondirective counseling on (1) prenatal care and delivery; (2) infant care, foster care, and adoption; and (3) pregnancy termination. This counseling must include referrals if requested by a patient. Additionally, if a funding recipient makes subawards for the provision of family planning services, the recipient may not prohibit an entity from participating in a subaward program for reasons other than the entity's inability to provide family planning services.
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2021 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2021 This bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosures of campaign expenditures, and requiring additional disclosures regarding certain political advertisements. First, the bill prohibits foreign nationals from participating in the decision-making process regarding an election expenditure. Additionally, the bill expands existing foreign money prohibitions to include disbursements for paid web-based or digital communications and federal judicial nomination communications. It also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) must conduct an audit after each federal election cycle to determine the incidence of illicit foreign money. Next, the bill makes it unlawful to establish or use a corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal an election contribution or donation by a foreign national. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. Covered organizations (e.g., corporations, labor organizations, and political organizations) must, within 24 hours, file reports with the FEC to disclose campaign expenditures of more than $10,000 during an election cycle. Finally, the bill requires organizations to provide additional disclosures regarding political advertisements, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.
This joint resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against the Houthis in Yemen within 30 days of the enactment of this joint resolution unless Congress authorizes a later withdrawal date, issues a declaration of war, or specifically authorizes the use of the Armed Forces. Prohibited activities include sharing intelligence or providing logistical support to enable offensive strikes by the coalition led by Saudi Arabia. This joint resolution shall not affect any military operations directed at Al Qaeda or forces associated with Al Qaeda.
This resolution expresses that the House of Representatives is committed to building upon the 20 years of success of the George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, complementing humanitarian assistance efforts and development programs through the continued implementation of the McGovern-Dole Program to address global food insecurity and create conditions for peace and stability, and supporting U.S. farmers, millers, shippers, and commodity groups that provide agricultural commodities for use in the McGovern-Dole Program to help combat global malnutrition and food insecurity and advance global education.
This resolution recognizes the critical role the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission plays in addressing long-standing issues including the wage gap, combating workplace harassment, and ensuring all workers are treated with dignity and respect in the workplace.
Children's Safe Welcome Act of 2022 This bill imposes requirements related to the treatment of noncitizen children detained in immigration custody. For example, the bill (1) prohibits an accompanied noncitizen child from being separated from a parent or legal guardian while in immigration custody, except in certain situations; (2) requires each child in immigration custody to receive a legal orientation presentation and have access to legal counsel and child advocates; and (3) requires each unaccompanied noncitizen child in Department of Health and Human Services custody to be placed in the least restrictive setting that most approximates a family and in which any special needs may be met.
Food and Drug Administration Safety and Landmark Advancements Act of 2022 or the FDASLA Act of 2022 This bill modifies Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to collect certain fees. It also expands FDA authority to regulate certain products, including cosmetics. Among other provisions, the bill reauthorizes FDA authority to collect certain fees related to drugs, medical devices, and biosimilar biological products and modifies such fees, including the base fee amounts; establishes that certain requirements related to obtaining market approval for a new drug or a biosimilar may be satisfied using alternatives to animal testing, such as in vitro tests; authorizes the FDA to require that certain drugs be dispensed with a safe disposal system even if the system does not render a drug nonretrievable (current law requires such a system to render the drug nonretrievable); establishes time lines for the FDA to respond to requests to determine whether a drug is a therapeutic equivalent to an approved drug; modifies the accelerated process for approving products for a serious or life-threatening disease or condition and establishes an intra-agency coordinating council to ensure consistent and appropriate use of the process; requires additional regulation of cosmetics, including by requiring manufacturers to register manufacturing facilities and each cosmetic product with the FDA; requires dietary supplement manufacturers to provide to the FDA certain information, including a list of all ingredients, about each dietary supplement that it markets; requires an in vitro clinical test to receive FDA premarket approval or a technology certification (or be otherwise exempted) before being introduced into interstate commerce; and requires the FDA to temporarily relax certain premarket requirements for a manufacturer that intends to market a new infant formula.
Veterans' Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to increase the amounts payable for wartime disability compensation, additional compensation for dependents, the clothing allowance for certain disabled veterans, and dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses and children. Specifically, the VA must increase the amounts by the same percentage as the cost-of-living increase in benefits for Social Security recipients that is effective on December 1, 2022. The bill requires the VA to publish the amounts payable, as increased, in the Federal Register. The VA is authorized to make a similar adjustment to the rates of disability compensation payable to persons who have not received compensation for service-connected disability or death.
Freedom to Travel for Health Care Act of 2022 This bill prohibits anyone from interfering with a person's ability to access out-of-state reproductive health care. (Reproductive health care is defined as medical, surgical, counseling, or referral services related to pregnancy, the termination of a pregnancy, contraception services, and other reproductive care.) Specifically, the bill prohibits anyone from restricting, discriminating against, or otherwise disadvantaging anyone who receives, provides, or assists with out-of-state reproductive health care that is legal in the state in which it is provided. The bill allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations. The bill specifically waives any applicable governmental immunity and preempts any contravening state laws.