Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2022 or the ZEVs Act of 2022 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a zero-emission passenger vehicle standard. Specifically, the bill sets a schedule for increasing the percentage of zero-emission vehicles a vehicle manufacturer delivers for sale, culminating in a requirement to sell only zero-emission vehicles from 2035 on. The bill also requires the EPA to establish a zero-emission vehicle credit program that approves one zero-emission vehicle credit for each zero-emission vehicle delivered for sale in the United States and partial credits for qualified electric vehicles based on the estimated proportion of the mileage driven on the battery. Manufacturers that fail to meet the minimum required percentage of zero-emission vehicle sales must submit to the EPA a quantity of zero-emission vehicle credits sufficient to offset the excess. Credits may also be sold, transferred, exchanged, or retired in certain circumstances. The bill imposes civil penalties for the failure to comply with zero-emission vehicle credit standards, with collected penalties being deposited into the Highway Trust Fund. After 2035, the EPA must issue injunctions on the manufacture of passenger vehicles other than zero-emission vehicles.
Stamp Out Invasive Species Act This bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue and sell a Combating Invasive Species Semipostal Stamp. Proceeds from the sale of the stamp must be transferred in equal proportion to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture for combating invasive species. (Invasive species are nonnative species whose introduction poses a serious threat to natural ecosystems and causes detrimental economic damage to local communities.) The stamp must be made available to the public for two years.
Boundary Waters Wilderness Protection and Pollution Prevention Act This bill withdraws certain federal lands and waters in Minnesota from mining and related activities. Specifically, the bill withdraws approximately 234,328 acres of federal land and waters in a specified area in the Rainy River Watershed of Superior National Forest from entry, appropriation, and disposal under the public land laws; location, entry, and patent under the mining laws; and operation of the mineral leasing, mineral materials, and geothermal leasing laws. The area is adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Mining Protection Area. Land or interest in land within such area that is acquired by the United States shall be immediately withdrawn in accordance with this bill. The Forest Service is authorized to permit the removal of sand, granite, iron ore, and taconite from national forest system lands within such area if the removal is not detrimental to the water quality, air quality, and health of forest habitat within the Rainy River Watershed.
Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2021 This bill addresses the conservation and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems. Among other things, the bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and revises the Coral Reef Conservation Program; directs the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to provide block grants to states to support state coral reef management and restoration; requires NOAA to establish standards for the formation of partnerships among government and community members for the stewardship of coral reefs; provides statutory authority for the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force to lead, coordinate, and strengthen federal government actions to preserve, conserve, and restore coral reef ecosystems; requires the Department of the Interior to provide grants upon the declaration of a coral reef emergency to implement emergency plans; authorizes Interior to provide scientific expertise, technical assistance, and financial assistance for the conservation and restoration of coral reefs; and establishes a National Coral Reef Management Fellowship Program.
Find It Early Act This bill requires health insurance plans (including public health insurance programs) to cover screenings and diagnostic imaging (with no cost sharing and no limit on frequency) for individuals who are at an increased risk of breast cancer.
This bill eliminates the minimum age at which members of the National Guard and Reserve who qualify for a reserve retirement may receive retired pay. Current law generally requires reserve retirees to be 60 years of age to receive retired pay, although the age can be lowered if the individual has performed certain types of active duty or active service. Under this bill, reserve retirees could draw retired pay immediately upon retirement regardless of their age.
International Violence Against Women Act of 2022 This bill requires a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. The bill establishes in the Department of State an Office of Global Women's Issues, which shall be headed by an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues. The Ambassador-at-Large shall (1) coordinate U.S. government efforts regarding gender equality and the advancement of women and girls in foreign policy, and (2) develop or update periodically a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to gender-based violence. The bill establishes in the U.S. Agency for International Development the position of Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment who shall coordinate policies, programs, and funding regarding gender equality and women's empowerment.
Close Big Oil Tax Loopholes Act This bill limits or repeals tax and royalty relief provisions that benefit certain large oil companies. It modifies foreign tax credit rules applicable to such companies and limits deductions for intangible drilling and development costs, percentage depletion, enhanced oil recovery, and other tax preferences. The bill repeals the outer Continental Shelf deep water and deep gas royalty relief provisions. Any savings resulting from this bill must be used for federal budget deficit reduction or, if there is no current budget deficit, for reducing the federal debt.
Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the Department of the Treasury to award grants to pay for travel, childcare, and other expenses of an individual seeking access to abortion services. Eligible grant recipients must be nonprofit or community-based organizations that assist individuals seeking abortion services through programs that are unbiased and medically and factually accurate. The grants may not be used to pay for abortion procedures.
Coral Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the federal agencies on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, which includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to carry out prize competitions that promote coral reef research and conservation. The prize competitions must be designed to help the United States achieve its goal of developing new and effective ways to advance the understanding, monitoring, and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems. Priority is given to establish programs that address communities, environments, or industries that are in distress due to the decline or degradation of coral reef ecosystems.
Stop Transnational Repression Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense related to transnational repression (e.g., activities of foreign governments to harass, intimidate, or coerce individuals in the United States).
Coral Reef Sustainability Through Innovation Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the federal agencies on the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, which includes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to carry out prize competitions that promote coral reef research and conservation. The prize competitions must be designed to help the United States achieve its goal of developing new and effective ways to advance the understanding, monitoring, and sustainability of coral reef ecosystems. Priority is given to establish programs that address communities, environments, or industries that are in distress due to the decline or degradation of coral reef ecosystems.
