The Latest: A Weekly Federal Update (04/18/22)
Upcoming Events & Activities
April 18th, 2021 - April 22nd, 2022
All events in Eastern Standard Time
Monday, April 18th
No events to report.
Tuesday, April 19th
10:00 AM - George Mason University: 7th Annual Public-Private Partnership (P3) Policy Center Forum
Wednesday, April 20th
10:00 AM - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Inland Waterways Users Board: Advisory committee meeting
11:00 AM - Carnegie Mellon University: Webinar on Renewable Natural Gas
12:00 PM - House Financial Services Committee: Hearing on "A Matter of Life & Death: Improving Fire Safety in Federal Assisted Housing"
Thursday, April 21st
10:00 AM - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: Open Meeting
Friday, April 22nd
No events to report.
Energy, Water & Environment
The latest from the House and Senate Committees on energy (infrastructure), WIFIA, wastewater management, environmental issues, interior, or environmental justice.
Legislation
H.R. 7484 - Food Before Fuel Act, To amend the Clean Air Act to eliminate the corn ethanol mandate for renewable fuel
Sponsor: Rep. Tom Rice (R-SC-07) referred to Energy Commerce Committee
Date Introduced: April 7, 2022
H.R. 7516 - Get the Lead Out of Assisted Housing Act, To improve the removal of lead from drinking water public housing
Sponsor: Rep. Daniel Kildee (D-MI-05) referred to Energy & Commerce Committee; Financial Services Committee
Date Introduced: April 14, 2022
News
Politico: Ukraine's Naftogaz Seeks U.S. Financial Help Amid Threats to Natural Gas Supplies
Ukraine will need to import up to 7 billion cubic meters of additional natural gas to meet its heating needs this winter as Russian troops continue attacks in the eastern part of the country, a region home to about 80% of Ukraine’s natural gas production, said Svitlana Zalischuk, senior adviser to the head of Ukraine’s state-owned natural gas company Naftogaz. With Ukraine’s economy in free fall because of the war, it does not expect to have the money to buy the gas it needs in the international market, Zalischuk said. Ukraine officials are now bringing the subject up with White House officials and members of Congress on the Appropriations Committee, Zalischuk said. The country is asking the U.S. government to help finance natural gas for shipments, possibly through language in a Congressional budget supplement, though it hasn't put a dollar figure on how much money it is seeking.
Transportation & Infrastructure
The latest from the House and Senate Committees on industrial and commercial mechanical insulation, cybersecurity, supply chains, port authority, metropolitan transit, or airports.
Legislation
H.R. 7480 - Bullets Not Batteries Act, To amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 to prohibit the use of the authorities under title I and title III of such Act for electric vehicles
Sponsor: Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA-10) referred to Financial Services Committee
Date Introduced: April 7, 2022
News
CNBC: Biden Administration Extends Transportation Mask Mandate for 15 More Days
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention announced on April 13th that the mask mandate for airplanes and transit will be renewed for an additional 15 days, or until May 3rd, due to surge of the omicron BA.2 subvariant. Airlines have repeatedly asked the administration to drop that requirement as well as other Covid restrictions such as pre-departure testing for all international arrivals, including citizens.
Immigration & Detention
The latest from the House and Senate Committee on immigration, detention, homeland security, border security, asylum seekers, criminal justice reform, Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP), U.S. Marshal Service (USMS), alternatives to detention programming, reentry programming, or Bureau of Prisons.
Legislation
H.R. 7507, To amend the Immigration & Nationality Act to provide increased penalties for a country that denies or delays accepting 2,000 aliens who are nationals of that country
Sponsor: Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC-11) referred to Judiciary Committee
Date Introduced: April 14, 2022
H.R. 7513, To establish a Commission on the Federal Regulation of Cannabis to study a prompt and plausible pathway to the Federal regulation of cannabis
Sponsor: Rep. David Joyce (R-OH-14) referred to Energy & Commerce Committee; Judiciary Committee
Date Introduced: April 14, 2022
H.R. 7528 - No Aid for Abetting Illegal Immigration Act, To prohibit United States assistance to El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
Sponsor: Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX-14) referred to Foreign Affairs Committee
Date Introduced: April 14, 2022
News
WYMT: Kentucky AG Sues Biden Administration's Termination of Title 42
Kentucky Attorney-General Daniel Cameron announced on April 14th that he has filed a lawsuit to stop the termination of the Title 42 by President Joe Biden's administration. “The Biden Administration is still requiring masks on airplanes and mandatory vaccination for our military service members and healthcare workers, but they believe that the pandemic is over at the Southern border,” said Attorney General Cameron. “President Biden has failed to provide a comprehensive plan to address the crisis at the border, and now the Administration’s decision to end the Title 42 policy will allow a surge in illegal immigration, placing additional strain on states across the country.” Cameron is one of 21 attorneys general joining the lawsuit.
Public Health & Safety
The latest from House and Senate committees on health insurance, COVID-19 and testing, gun safety, Medicare & Medicaid, telehealth, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), CDC, FDA, or rural hospitals.
Legislation
H.R. 7482 - TREAT Long COVID Act, To authorize the Secretary of Health & Human Services to award grants to eligible entities for creating or enhancing capacity to treat patients with Long COVID through a multidisciplinary approach
Sponsor: Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA-07) referred to Energy & Commerce Committee
Date Introduced: April 7, 2022
H.R. 7493 - Protecting Gun Owners in Bankruptcy Act, To amend title 11 of the United States Code to include firearms in the types of property allowable under the alternative provision for exempting property from the estate
Sponsor: Rep. Chris Jacobs (R-NY-27) referred to Judiciary Committee
Date Introduced: April 11, 2022
H.R. 7497, To provide for lower prices for drugs through drug price negotiation
Sponsor: Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI-08) referred to Energy & Commerce Committee; Ways & Means Committee
Date Introduced: April 11, 2022
News
AP News: COVID-19 Cases Again Surge, Experts Fear Another Wave
Yet again, the U.S. is trudging into what could be another COVID-19 surge, with cases rising nationally and in most states after a two-month decline. But experts warn that the coming wave – caused by a mutant called BA.2 that’s thought to be about 30% more contagious – will wash across the nation. They worry that hospitalizations, which are already ticking up in some parts of the Northeast, will rise in a growing number of states in the coming weeks. And the case wave will be bigger than it looks, they say, because reported numbers are vast undercounts as more people test at home without reporting their infections or skip testing altogether.
Finance & Federal Partnerships
The latest from House and Senate committees on taxation, retirement, small business, federal contracting, or monetary policy.
Legislation
H.R. 7503 - American Innovation Act, To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to promote business innovation
Sponsor: Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16) referred to Ways & Means Committee
Date Introduced: April 14, 2022
H.R. 7511, To establish an independent advisory committee to review certain regulations
Sponsor: Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05) referred to Oversight & Reform Committee
Date Introduced: April 14, 2022
Notices of Funding Opportunities
Community Grants: Rural Innovation Stronger Economy (RISE) Programs
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service agency (USDA) has extended its notice of solicitation of applications until May 19, 2022. Applicants that submitted a concept proposal by February 18, 2022, but did not receive communication from the Agency must contact the Agency by April 26, 2022. Completed applications must be submitted electronically by no later than 11:59 PM, May 19, 2022, through www. Grants.gov, to be eligible for grant funding.
Special Reports
The latest from reports issued from the Office of Government Accountability, the Congressional Research Service, and others.
CRS: April 11, 2022 - COVID-19 Vaccination: Selected U.S. Data Sources
GAO: April 11, 2022 - Wastewater Surveillance
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