Arbitration Fairness for Consumers Act This bill deems as invalid or unenforceable a predispute arbitration agreement or joint-action waiver related to a consumer financial product or service.
SESTA/FOSTA Examination of Secondary Effects for Sex Workers Study Act or the SAFE SEX Workers Study Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to study the impacts of the reduction in access to certain websites and other interactive computer services resulting from the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 on individuals engaged in adult, consensual sex work. Specifically, HHS must study the impacts of the reduction on the health and safety of individuals engaged in transactional sex while DOJ must study the impacts of the reduction on human trafficking investigations and prosecutions.
Food for Thought Act of 2022 This bill allows the Department of Education to award grants for eligible institutions of higher education to provide free meals to low-income students through on-campus meal programs.
Comprehensive Access to Resources and Education for Long COVID Act or the CARE for Long COVID Act This bill requires multiple agencies to carry out research and other activities concerning individuals experiencing post-acute sequelae of COVID-19, or PASC, including health disparities related to this condition. PASC refers to persistent, long-term symptoms following recovery from acute COVID-19. First, the bill requires the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Trust Fund to support a patient registry to collect information on the symptoms, treatments, demographics, and other relevant data of individuals with confirmed or suspected PASC. Second, the Department of Health and Human Services must, along with relevant agencies (1) conduct or support research on the U.S. health care system's response to long-term symptoms of COVID-19; and (2) develop resources about PASC or other post-viral illnesses, including about their potential impact on rights associated with employment, disability status, and education. Third, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must disseminate information about the common symptoms, treatment options, and other topics that pertain to PASC and related post-infectious illnesses. Fourth, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must expand its Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse to collect data on items and services furnished through Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program to individuals who experience PASC. Last, the Administration for Community Living must award grants or contracts to states, health care providers, legal services providers, and other eligible entities for expanding access to legal assistance for individuals with PASC.
Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families Act or the RELIEF Act This bill revises provisions related to family- and employment-based visas. The bill (1) increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15%, (2) eliminates the 7% cap for employment-based immigrant visas, and (3) removes an offset that reduced the number of visas for individuals from China. The annual cap for visas for the unmarried children of citizens is increased, and the formula for calculating the cap for the unmarried children of residents is revised. The bill also establishes transition rules for employment-based visas from FY2022-FY2024, by reserving a percentage of EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability), EB-3 (skilled and other workers), and EB-5 (investors) visas for individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas. Of the unreserved visas, not more than 85% shall be allotted to immigrants from any single country. The Department of State shall increase allocations of family- and employment-based visas by the number of beneficiaries of such applications filed before this bill's enactment, to be allocated FY2022-FY2026 to beneficiaries of applications filed before this bill's enactment who have not yet received a visa. The minor children and spouses of permanent residents and those accompanying a qualified alien shall be treated as an immediate relative for immigration purposes. Whether an alien qualifies as a minor shall be determined according to the alien's age at the time a relevant petition is filed.
H-1B and L-1 Visa Reform Act of 2022 This bill modifies requirements related to H-1B (specialty occupation) and L-1 (intracompany transfers) nonimmigrant visas and contains related provisions. Provisions relating to H-1B visas include requiring the Department of Labor to review petitions for indicators of fraud or misrepresentation of material fact; requiring the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prioritize certain petitions, with top priority for workers with advanced degrees in science, technology, or engineering; requiring an H-1B worker to possess at minimum a bachelor's degree to meet specialty occupation requirements (currently, relevant experience may be used instead); and prohibiting an alien classifiable in certain H-1B categories from obtaining a B-1 (temporary business visitor) visa. Provisions relating to L-1 visas include requiring a waiver from Labor for an L-1 worker to be primarily stationed with an employer other than the petitioning employer; prohibiting an alien from receiving an L-1 visa to open or be employed in a new office if the alien has received two or more such visas in the last two years; and increasing the L-1 worker minimum wage to the highest of certain amounts, such as the median wage for the worker's occupational classification in the area of employment (currently, an L-1 worker must be paid at least the higher of the federal or state minimum wage). In regards to both visas, the bill (1) expands the authority of DHS and Labor to take various enforcement actions, and (2) directs DHS to conduct annual audits of a certain percentage of employers.
HRES 946 is a symbolic House resolution supporting improved cardiovascular health for women in the U.S. It does not create new laws or funding but encourages action on key issues affecting women. The resolution specifically calls for increased participation of women - especially women of color - in cardiovascular clinical trials, greater awareness of advanced treatment options for heart recovery, and collaboration among healthcare providers, manufacturers, and patient advocates. It highlights that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women but notes women are often underdiagnosed and underrepresented in medical research. The resolution aims to address these gaps through awareness and partnership, not through new policy mandates.
Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 This bill prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services. Specifically, governments may not limit a provider's ability to prescribe certain drugs, offer abortion services via telemedicine, or immediately provide abortion services when the provider determines a delay risks the patient's health. Furthermore, governments may not require a provider to perform unnecessary medical procedures, provide medically inaccurate information, comply with credentialing or other conditions that do not apply to providers whose services are medically comparable to abortions, or carry out all services connected to an abortion. In addition, governments may not (1) require patients to make medically unnecessary in-person visits before receiving abortion services or disclose their reasons for obtaining such services, or (2) prohibit abortion services before fetal viability or after fetal viability when a provider determines the pregnancy risks the patient's life or health. The bill also prohibits other governmental measures that are similar to the bill's specified restrictions or that otherwise single out and impede access to abortion services, unless a government demonstrates that the measure significantly advances the safety of abortion services or health of patients and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The Department of Justice, individuals, or providers may bring a lawsuit to enforce this bill, and states are not immune from suits for violations. The bill applies to restrictions imposed both prior and subsequent to the bill's enactment.
Original Black History Month Resolution of 2022 This resolution recognizes the importance of commemorating Black History Month to acknowledge the achievements of Black Americans throughout history.
This resolution supports the designation of a National FFA Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of the National FFA Organization (Future Farmers of America) in developing the next generation of leaders who will change the world, and (2) celebrates 70 years of the National FFA Organization's membership magazine.
America's Call To Improve Opportunities Now for National Service Act or the ACTION for National Service Act This bill (1) converts the Corporation for National and Community Service into the AmeriCorps Administration and revises its membership, leadership, and authority; (2) reauthorizes programs carried out by the administration; (3) establishes a National Service Foundation to accept and administer gifts on behalf of the administration; (4) modifies the calculation of national service educational awards; and (5) otherwise modifies provisions related to national and volunteer service programs. Additionally, the bill creates an interagency Civilian Climate Corps, operated by the administration, to conduct service projects addressing climate change.
This resolution condemns the atrocities and possible crimes against humanity being perpetrated against women and girls in Ethiopia. It also supports the full investigation of atrocities against women and girls in Tigray, Amhara, Afar, and other parts of northern Ethiopia.
