Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2022 This bill establishes within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) the Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters. Specifically, the office must use all available tools (e.g., subpoenas) to investigate and prosecute violations of the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 by packers and live poultry dealers. Further, the bill grants the office the authority to bring any civil or administrative action authorized by that act against a packer or live poultry dealer. Additionally, the office must serve as a liaison to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission with respect to competition and trade practices in the food and agricultural sector, consult with the Department of Homeland Security on national security and critical infrastructure security in the food and agricultural sector, maintain a staff of attorneys and other professionals with appropriate expertise, and coordinate with the USDA Office of the General Counsel and the Packers and Stockyards Division of the Agricultural Marketing Service.
Revive Economic Growth and Reclaim Orphaned Wells Act of 2021 or the REGROW Act of 2021 This bill provides funding for grants to plug orphaned (i.e., abandoned) oil and gas wells, clean up pollution leaking from such wells, and conduct research and related activities. Specifically, the bill provides funding for a grant program within the Department of the Interior to plug and clean up orphaned wells located on federal, state, tribal, and private land. In addition, the bill provides funding to the Department of Energy and the Oil and Gas Compact Commission for conducting research and development activities to assist federal land management agencies, states, and Indian tribes in (1) identifying and characterizing undocumented orphaned wells, and (2) mitigating the environmental risks of undocumented orphaned wells.
This joint resolution nullifies a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives rule published on April 26, 2022, concerning regulatory definitions and identification of firearms.
Payment Choice Act of 202 2 This bill requires retail businesses to accept cash as a form of payment for on-site sales of 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.
Prohibiting Federal Emergencies for Abortion Act This bill prohibits the President and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from declaring a federal emergency relating to abortion. Specifically, neither the President nor HHS may declare a national emergency for purposes of (1) promoting, supporting, or expanding access to abortion; or (2) taking adverse action against or litigating against states that prohibit or otherwise restrict abortion.
This bill prescribes that a peer support specialist of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must not be responsible for providing assistance to a veteran regarding a claim for compensation for a covered mental health condition (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) based on military sexual trauma (MST) experienced during active service. Such specialists must only provide counseling services, guidance, and support and must not participate in the adjudication of the claim. As part of the forms for claims for compensation for a covered mental health condition based on MST, the VA must include an option for a veteran to elect to be referred to a MST trauma coordinator at the VA facility closest to the veteran's residence. Additionally, the VA must (1) ensure that its peer support specialists receive annual training on providing peer support regarding MST, and (2) provide annual training on the processing of claims for compensation for covered mental health conditions based on MST to its MST coordinators and peer specialists.
Political Bias In Algorithm Sorting Emails Act of 2022 or the Political BIAS Emails Act of 2022 This bill restricts email providers from applying filtering algorithms that label political campaign messages as spam and requires providers to publicly report on their email delivery practices.
Military Families Mental Health Services Act This bill authorizes the Department of Defense to waive cost-sharing requirements for the first three outpatient mental health visits for beneficiaries of TRICARE Select and TRICARE Prime each year.
INvestor Democracy is EXpected Act or the INDEX Act This bill establishes guidelines for passively managed funds (e.g., index funds) that vote shares on behalf of fund investors in proxy shareholder votes. Under the bill, these funds generally must vote shares on a proportional basis according to instructions from fund investors. The bill establishes an exemption for routine matters and matters requiring approval of a majority of outstanding securities. Additionally, the bill establishes a safe harbor from these requirements for investment advisers.
Military Spouse Hiring Act This bill expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include the hiring of a qualified military spouse. (The WOTC permits employers who hire individuals who are members of a targeted group such as qualified veterans, ex-felons, or long-term unemployment recipients to claim a tax credit equal to a portion of the wages paid to those individuals.) A qualified military spouse is any individual who is certified by the designated local agency as being (as of the hiring date) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces.
Safe Schools Act This bill allows state and local educational agencies to use certain COVID-19 emergency relief funds to carry out school security measures (e.g., trainings and security assessments).
Keep Our Communities Safe Act of 2022 This bill revises provisions related to the authority of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain aliens. DHS may detain an alien pending a removal decision for any length of time until the alien is subject to a final removal order. DHS must detain certain aliens, such as those convicted of an aggravated felony, beyond certain time limits for detaining an alien. The authority of the Department of Justice to review DHS custody decisions concerning an alien awaiting a removal decision shall be limited to whether the alien may be detained, released on bond, or released with no bond. DHS may release such an alien on bond only if the alien is not a flight risk or risk to the community. For an alien subject to a removal order, DHS may extend the 90-day removal period (generally the window in which DHS has to remove an alien after a final order of removal) in certain instances, such as when the alien's removal is stayed during an appeal. DHS may continue to detain an alien beyond the removal period and any removal period extensions. DHS shall periodically certify a justification for detaining an alien beyond the removal period. DHS shall establish a detention review process for aliens who (1) have made all reasonable efforts to comply with a removal order, and (2) are not subject to mandatory detention. DHS shall use the review process to determine whether an alien should be detained or released with conditions.
