Easy to Read Electronic and Accessible Disclosures Act or the Easy to READ Act This bill requires Members of Congress (or candidates for congressional office) to electronically file their financial disclosure reports. Additionally, the reports must be made publicly available in a searchable database.
Simplified Joint Consolidation Separation Act This bill establishes a process for separation of joint consolidation loans. Specifically, the bill allows the two borrowers of a joint consolidation loan for their federal student loan debt to jointly request that the Department of Education or loan holder separate their existing joint consolidated loan into two individual consolidation loans. One borrower may request separation of the joint consolidation loan into two individual consolidation loans in the event that the individual has experienced domestic or economic abuse from the other individual borrower or is subject to a decree or agreement requiring the separation of such joint loans and obligations.
TCJA Permanency Act This bill makes permanent provisions affecting individual and business taxpayers that were enacted in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. The bill makes permanent reductions in individual and capital gain tax rates. The bill increases the standard tax deduction for individual taxpayers. It also increases and modifies the child tax credit and raises the contribution base for the tax deduction for charitable contributions. The bill allows additional contributions to ABLE accounts (tax-exempt accounts designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save and pay for disability-related expenses). It exempts from taxation combat zone benefits of members of the Armed Forces serving in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and limits the deduction for moving expenses to active duty members of the Armed Forces. Additionally, the bill expands the types of elementary and secondary school expenses eligible for payment from qualified tuition programs (529 programs); lowers to $750,000 the amount of mortgage debt eligible for an interest expense tax deduction; reinstates after 2023 the exclusion of income from the gross income of student loan borrowers for loan debt discharged due to death or total and permanent disability; makes permanent the limitation on the tax deduction for state and local taxes and denies a deduction for foreign real property taxes; makes permanent the tax deduction of the income of certain pass-through business entities; repeals the tax deduction for personal tax exemptions and the exclusion of employer-provided bicycle commuter fringe benefits; terminates certain miscellaneous itemized tax deductions; doubles the estate and gift tax exemption amount; and makes permanent the increase of the alternative minimum tax exemption amount for individual taxpayers.
Protect the UNBORN (Undo the Negligent Biden Orders Right Now) Act or the Protect the UNBORN Act This bill prohibits federal implementation of and funding for specified executive orders that address access to reproductive health care services, including services related to pregnancy or the termination of a pregnancy.
Trucking Regulations Unduly Constricting Known Service-providers Act of 2022 or the TRUCKS Act of 2022 This bill revises requirements for obtaining a commercial driver's license. The bill allows states to exempt employees in certain agriculture-related industries and employees of state, local, and tribal governmental entities from entry-level driver training requirements to obtain a commercial driver's license. Additionally, a state may issue restricted commercial driver's licenses to owners and employees of certain small businesses, including those that employ not more than nine employees who hold a commercial driver's license as of the date on which the restricted commercial driver's license is issued.
Digital Commodities Consumer Protection Act of 2022 This bill grants exclusive jurisdiction to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission over activity involving digital commodities as specified by the bill. The bill defines digital commodities as fungible digital forms of personal property that can be transferred person-to-person without an intermediary. Excluded from this definition are securities, interests in physical commodities, and U.S.-backed digital currencies. The commission does not have jurisdiction over digital commodities used solely for the purchase or sale of a good or service. Digital commodity platforms (including brokers, custodians, dealers, and trading facilities) must register with the commission and comply with risk management and good governance procedures. The bill also sets forth recordkeeping requirements, conflict of interest standards, and other consumer protections.
Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022 This bill revises the process of casting and counting electoral votes for presidential elections. The bill also revises provisions related to the presidential transition process. The bill specifies that the choice of electors must occur in accordance with the laws of the state enacted prior to election day. Additionally, the bill identifies each state's governor (unless otherwise identified in the laws or constitution of a state in effect on election day) as responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying the state's electors. Further, the bill provides for expedited judicial review for any action brought by an aggrieved presidential or vice-presidential candidate arising under the U.S. Constitution or U.S. laws with respect to the issuance or transmission of such a certificate. The bill revises the framework for the joint session of Congress to count electoral votes and make a formal declaration of which candidates have been elected President and Vice President. Among other changes, the bill (1) specifies that the role of the Vice President during the joint session shall be ministerial in nature, and (2) raises the objection threshold in Congress to at least one-fifth of the duly chosen and sworn members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill also revises the presidential transition process, including to (1) allow more than one candidate to receive federal transition resources under certain circumstances, and (2) require additional reporting by the General Services Administration.
This bill prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency from using funding for monitoring methane emissions provided under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 to monitor methane emissions from livestock.
Teenagers Earning Everyday Necessary Skills Act or the TEENS Act This bill expands the permissible working hours for employees between the ages of 14 and 16. Specifically, when school is in session such employees may not work later than 9:00 p.m. or more than 24 hours per week.
Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for performing or attempting to perform an abortion if the probable gestational age of the fetus is 15 weeks or more. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. The bill provides exceptions for an abortion (1) that is necessary to save the life of the pregnant woman, or (2) when the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest. A physician who performs or attempts to perform an abortion under an exception must comply with specified requirements. A woman who undergoes a prohibited abortion may not be prosecuted for violating or conspiring to violate the provisions of this bill.
Increase Reliable Services Now Act This bill imposes limits on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcement activities and hiring. The bill prohibits the IRS from hiring any person for enforcement activities until the end of a period in which the IRS has maintained for six consecutive months a level of service for accounts management phone lines of not less than 70%, and an average speed of answering phone calls in five minutes or less. The bill also requires that not less than 90% of regular IRS employees perform work in person at their job sites. The bill prohibits the IRS from auditing taxpayers with taxable incomes below $400,000 at a greater rate than before the enactment of this bill. Further, the IRS may not hire additional personnel (other than for return processing activities and call center operations) until its tax return processing backlog is not in excess of 1 million cases and it issues tax refunds within six weeks or less after receipt of a tax return.
Veterans Medical Mileage Adjustment Act of 2022 This bill increases the rate for beneficiary travel allowances based on mileage (from 41.5 cents to 45.5 cents per mile) for beneficiary travel to or from Department of Veterans Affairs facilities in connection with vocational rehabilitation, required counseling, or for the purpose of examination, treatment, or care.
