Competition and Transparency in Digital Advertising Act This bill limits certain large digital advertising companies from owning multiple types of advertising exchanges or brokerages and imposes certain duties with respect to the interests of the customers of such brokerages. Advertising exchanges and brokerages generally facilitate advertisers and publishers in buying and selling advertising inventory through an automated bidding process. Specifically, companies with more than $20 billion in annual digital advertising revenue are prohibited from owning more than one type of service within the digital advertising marketplace. For example, a company, such as Google, may not own a digital advertising exchange and provide software that assists publishers of online advertisements in selling advertising space on their websites. Additionally, companies with more than $5 billion in annual digital advertising revenue that provide brokerage services to buyers or sellers of digital advertisements must act in the best interest of their brokerage customers. The bill also establishes transparency and privacy requirements for such brokerages. The bill provides for enforcement of these requirements by the Department of Justice, state attorneys general, and private right of action.
Protecting American Energy Act This bill prohibits the withdrawal of land from mining, mineral leasing, or geothermal leasing laws if the withdrawal is projected to have a negative impact on domestic energy independence. The bill also requires annual reports on domestic energy capacity, production, and consumption.
Freedom to Import Infant Formula Act of 2022 This bill provides duty-free treatment to infant formula. The bill prohibits U.S. Customs and Border Protection from seizing or enforcing restrictions on the importation of infant formula from specified countries (e.g., Canada and the United Kingdom) if the formula meets the legal requirements for sale in that country. The bill also deems formula imported under the bill's provisions to be in compliance with section 412 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which contains requirements related to infant formula manufacturing practices and nutrients.
Student Loan Accountability Act This bill generally prohibits the Departments of Education, Justice, or the Treasury from taking any action to cancel or forgive the outstanding balances, or portion of balances, of covered loans. Covered loans refer to Federal Family Education Loans, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and loans under the Health Education Assistance Loan Program. The prohibition does not apply to targeted federal student loan forgiveness, cancellation, or repayment programs that are in effect by final regulation on May 11, 2022, and carried out under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
HR 7815 requires the President to submit a report within 30 days of the bill's enactment detailing actions taken by federal agencies to address the U.S. infant formula shortage. The report must be submitted to specific congressional committees, including the Senate Finance and Agriculture Committees and the House Ways and Means and Agriculture Committees. This bill does not create new policies or funding but mandates transparency about ongoing executive branch efforts to resolve the shortage. It directly affects the White House and federal agencies responsible for food safety and supply chain management. The focus is solely on requiring a status update, not on prescribing solutions or outcomes.
Babies Need More Formula Now Act of 2022 This bill addresses the regulation of infant formula, including by authorizing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to waive certain requirements related to importation. The FDA may waive labeling requirements related to the importation (or distribution or sale) of infant formula from a country with requirements that provide a similar assurance of safety as U.S. requirements. The FDA must, when appropriate, enter into arrangements to harmonize U.S. regulatory requirements pertaining to infant formula with the requirements of other nations. The bill imposes time lines for the FDA to respond to submissions for market approval for new infant formula. The FDA must also issue guidance as to what types of changes in the ingredients of infant formula, if any, may not require a new growth study to meet FDA requirements. The bill also authorizes a person to import, without prior notice to the FDA, up to a three-month supply of infant formula for personal use from a country with formula safety standards similar to U.S. standards, such as Canada. Before recommending or requiring a recall of infant formula due exclusively to a labeling deficiency, the FDA must ensure that the recall will not negatively affect the supply of formula in the United States. The bill also requires the FDA to (1) notify Congress no later than 24 hours after initiating a formula recall, and (2) provide certain information to formula manufacturers about restarting production after an inspection of a manufacturing facility impacted by a recall.
Military Spouse Tax Act This bill provides that a spouse of a service member may retain their personal residence or domicile for purposes of taxation. The bill authorizes a service member and the spouse of the member to elect to use the following locations for purposes of taxation: the residence or domicile of the member, the residence or domicile of the spouse, or the permanent duty station of the member.
Military Spouse Licensing Relief Act of 2021 This bill provides for the portability of professional licenses of service members and their spouses who are relocated, because of military orders, outside of the jurisdiction that issued the license. Specifically, a professional license in good standing of a service member or spouse shall be considered valid at a similar scope of practice and in the discipline applied for in the new jurisdiction for the duration of such military orders. To establish and maintain eligibility, a service member or spouse must (1) provide a copy of the military orders to the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction; (2) remain in good standing with the licensing authority that issued the license; and (3) submit to the authority of the licensing authority in the new jurisdiction for the purposes of standards of practice, discipline, and fulfillment of any continuing education requirements. The bill also provides that if a service member or spouse is licensed to operate in multiple jurisdictions through an interstate licensure compact, the service member or spouse is subject to the requirements of the compact or the applicable provisions of the state law rather than the provisions of this bill.
Opportunities for the Nation and States to Harness Onshore Resources for Energy Act or the ONSHORE Act This bill makes various changes to expand and otherwise addresses onshore oil and gas resources on federal land and non-federal surface estates. Specifically, the bill requires, subject to some limits, the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service to lease certain public lands and Forest System land with known or potential oil or gas deposits. (Current law authorizes but does not require leasing.) Other changes in the bill include (1) allowing Interior to delegate authority over certain federal permitting and other regulatory responsibilities for oil and gas leases to states; (2) exempting some oil and gas activities conducted on non-federal surface estates from certain permitting and environmental review requirements; and (3) requiring deference to state regulations, guidance, and permit requirements for all activities regarding hydraulic fracturing (a type of process used to extract underground energy resources) on federal land.
Lease Now Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of the Interior to resume sales of onshore and offshore oil and gas leases and specifies lease terms and other requirements related to those sales. The bill also prohibits the President from taking actions to cancel, delay, or otherwise impede federal processes related to energy mineral leasing without congressional approval.
Fixing Our Regulatory Mayhem Upsetting Little Americans Act or the FORMULA Act This bill provides duty-free treatment to infant formula imported from certain countries. Specifically, the bill provides, for 180 days beginning on this bill's enactment, duty-free treatment to infant formula if the formula (1) is imported from specified countries (e.g., Australia, Japan, and the United Kingdom), and (2) was approved by the government of that country regulating such formula. The bill temporarily waives certain Food and Drug Administration regulations and requirements under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for formula imported under this bill. A person who manufactures or imports formula must notify the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) if the person has knowledge that such formula may not provide required nutrients or may be unsafe for infant consumption. If HHS determines the formula is unsafe for infant consumption, then the manufacturer or importer must immediately recall shipments from all wholesale and retail establishments. The bill makes formula imported under this bill eligible for purchase using benefits received under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). The Department of Agriculture must maintain and publicize a list of imported formula approved for use and marketing within the country of origin and the recommended measurements for mixing or otherwise preparing the formula.
Payment Choice Act of 2021 This bill requires retail businesses to accept cash as a form of payment for sales in amounts less than $2,000, and it prohibits them from charging cash-paying customers a higher price compared to customers not paying with cash. Such businesses are those engaged in the business of selling or offering goods or services at retail to the public that accept in-person payments at a physical location. The bill provides for enforcement through preventative relief and civil penalties.
