Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide competitive grants to Indian tribes, states, metropolitan planning organizations, and local governments for projects that provide parking for commercial motor vehicles and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicle drivers on federal-aid highways or on a facility with reasonable access to such a highway or a freight facility. In providing grants, DOT must prioritize applicants that demonstrate a shortage of commercial motor vehicle parking capacity in the corridor in which the project is located; consultation with motor carriers, commercial motor vehicle drivers, public safety officials, and private providers of commercial motor vehicle parking; the project will likely increase the availability or utilization of commercial motor vehicle parking, facilitate the efficient movement of freight, and improve highway safety, traffic congestion, and air quality; and the ability to provide for the maintenance and operation of the facility.
This bill limits the sale and exportation of petroleum products (e.g., crude oil) from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to require, as a condition of auction sales, that the petroleum products not be exported to countries that are designated as countries of particular concern for religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. In addition, the bill establishes limits on auction sales of petroleum products from the SPR to state-owned entities if DOE determines that, as of the dates of the auctions, there are bans on, or the imposition of sanctions by the United States with respect to, the purchase of crude oil from countries. Under such circumstances, state-owned entities must certify that they have not purchased petroleum products from countries subject to such bans or sanctions while the bans or sanctions were in effect in order to be able to bid in auctions. If DOE determines state-owned entities participating in the auctions have purchased crude oil from such countries while the bans or sanctions were in effect, then DOE may not sell petroleum products from the SPR to such entities.
Colorado River Basin Conservation Act This bill reauthorizes the Department of the Interior to fund or participate in pilot projects to increase Colorado River System water in Lake Mead and the Colorado River Storage Project reservoirs through FY2026. Interior administers these pilot projects to address the effects of drought conditions on the Colorado River Basin, which includes the Upper Basin states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) and Lower Basin states (Arizona, California, and Nevada). The bill also requires Interior to submit an updated report to Congress by the end of FY2027 on the effectiveness of the pilot projects and a recommendation on whether to continue the program.
No Emergency Crude Oil for Foreign Adversaries Act This bill prohibits exports of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to require as a condition of any sale of crude oil from the SPR that the oil not be exported to such countries. However, DOE may issue a waiver of the prohibition if the sale of crude oil is in the national security interests of the United States. In addition, DOE must report on (1) the route to destination and place of refinement of all crude oil sold at auction from the SPR since November 23, 2021, and (2) the ownership of the refinement facilities at which such crude oil was refined.
National Opportunity to Restore Uranium Supply Services In America Act of 2022 or the NO RUSSIA Act of 2022 This bill provides statutory authority (and reallocates funding) for the Office of Nuclear Energy to establish a strategic reserve of uranium to ensure the availability of domestic supplies of uranium. The bill also requires the office to establish another program to support domestic production, conversion, and enrichment of uranium for nuclear reactors and eliminate reliance on Russian uranium. The office may not source uranium for the reserve or the program from companies that are controlled by, owned by, or otherwise affiliated with China or Russia.
Technology Grants to Strengthen Domestic Mining Education Act of 2022 or the Mining Schools Act of 2022 This bill establishes a grant program for mining schools to recruit students and enhance educational programs, including those related to critical mineral and rare earth element exploration, extraction, and refining.
This bill bars a recipient from receiving additional loan guarantees through the Clean Energy Financing Program or the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Program if the recipient has previously defaulted on a loan guaranteed through those programs.
Protect Farmers from the SEC Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural products.
Journalism Competition and Preservation Act of 2022 This bill sets out a process through which certain broadcast or digital news providers may collectively negotiate with covered online platforms (e.g., social media companies) regarding use of the news providers' content by the platforms. Specifically, the bill authorizes an eligible provider (e.g., one with no more than 1,500 full-time employees and nonnetwork news broadcasters that engage in specified news practices) to jointly form an entity with other eligible providers to negotiate the pricing, terms, and conditions by which certain online platforms use the providers' content. A covered platform is generally one that (1) has at least 50 million monthly domestic users, and (2) is owned or controlled by a person with either sales or a market capitalization that exceeds a specified amount or at least one billion monthly users worldwide. The bill establishes requirements concerning the formation, governance, operation, and termination of the joint negotiation entity. It also exempts from antitrust laws certain actions by a joint negotiation entity (e.g., providers jointly denying a platform's access to the providers' content). The bill outlines requirements governing the conduct of the negotiations by, for example, requiring the parties to negotiate in good faith. Additionally, the bill provides for private rights of action if the requirements for a negotiation are not met and establishes requirements for arbitration in limited circumstances. The Government Accountability Office must study the impact of the joint negotiations, including their effects on local and regional news and the employment of journalists. In general, the bill's provisions terminate six years after its enactment.
Interactive Federal Review Act This bill revises the environmental review process for federal-aid highway projects. Specifically, the Department of Transportation (DOT) must encourage recipients of federal highway funding to utilize interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms when carrying out environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA); select at least 10 federal-aid highway projects to demonstrate the use of interactive, digital, cloud-based platforms in carrying out the environmental impact analysis and community engagement processes under NEPA; and publish technology-neutral best practice guidance to encourage sponsors of projects that receive federal funds from DOT to use an interactive, digital, cloud-based platform in carrying out the environmental impact analysis and community engagement processes required under NEPA.
Protect Camp Lejeune Victims Ensnared by Trial-lawyer's Scams Act or the Protect Camp Lejeune VETS Act This bill limits attorney's fees for claims involving individuals who were exposed to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987.
This bill prohibits the supervision requirements for physical therapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants for covered outpatient services under Medicare from being different from supervision requirements under state law.
