[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 158 (Thursday, September 29, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8280-H8290]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1715
MOTION TO SUSPEND THE RULES AND PASS CERTAIN BILLS AND CONCUR IN
SENATE AMENDMENTS
Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 10 of House Resolution
1396, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bills: H.R. 1638, H.R.
3304, H.R. 4081, H.R. 4821, H.R. 6889, H.R. 6967, H.R. 8163, H.R. 8510,
H.R. 8681, H.R. 8875, H.R. 8956, and S. 1198, and concur in the Senate
amendments to H.R. 5641.
The Clerk read the title of the bills and the Senate amendments to
H.R. 5641.
The text of the bills and the Senate amendments to H.R. 5641 are as
follows:
Gilt Edge Mine Conveyance Act
H.R. 1638
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Gilt Edge Mine Conveyance
Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Federal land.--The term ``Federal land'' means all
right, title, and interest of the United States in and to
approximately 266 acres of National Forest System land within
the Gilt Edge Mine Superfund Boundary, as generally depicted
on the map.
(2) Map.--The term ``map'' means the map entitled ``Gilt
Edge Mine Conveyance Act'' and dated August 20, 2020.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest
Service.
(4) State.--The term ``State'' means State of South Dakota.
SEC. 3. LAND CONVEYANCE.
(a) In General.--Subject to the terms and conditions
described in this Act, if the State submits to the Secretary
an offer to acquire the Federal land for the market value, as
determined by the appraisal under subsection (c), the
Secretary shall convey the Federal land to the State.
(b) Terms and Conditions.--The conveyance under subsection
(a) shall be--
(1) subject to valid existing rights;
(2) made by quitclaim deed; and
(3) subject to any other terms and conditions as the
Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of
the United States.
(c) Appraisal.--
(1) In general.--After the State submits an offer under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall complete an appraisal to
determine the market value of the Federal land.
(2) Standards.--The appraisal under paragraph (1) shall be
conducted in accordance with--
(A) the Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land
Acquisitions; and
(B) the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal
Practice.
(d) Map.--
(1) Availability of map.--The map shall be kept on file and
available for public inspection in the appropriate office of
the Forest Service.
(2) Correction of errors.--The Secretary may correct any
errors in the map.
(e) Consideration.--As consideration for the conveyance
under subsection (a), the State shall pay to the Secretary an
amount equal to the market value of the Federal land, as
determined by the appraisal under subsection (c).
(f) Survey.--The State shall prepare a survey that is
satisfactory to the Secretary of the exact acreage and legal
description of the Federal land to be conveyed under
subsection (a).
(g) Costs of Conveyance.--As a condition on the conveyance
under subsection (a), the State shall pay all costs
associated with the conveyance, including the cost of--
(1) the appraisal under subsection (c); and
(2) the survey under subsection (f).
(h) Proceeds From the Sale of Land.--Any proceeds received
by the Secretary from the conveyance under subsection (a)
shall be--
(1) deposited in the fund established under Public Law 90-
171 (commonly known as the ``Sisk Act'') (16 U.S.C. 484a);
and
(2) available to the Secretary, only to the extent and in
the amount provided in advance in appropriations Acts, for
the maintenance and improvement of land or administration
facilities in the Black Hills National Forest in the State.
(i) Environmental Conditions.--Notwithstanding section
120(h)(3)(A) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C.
9620(h)(3)(A)), the Secretary shall not be required to
provide any covenant or warranty for the Federal land
conveyed to the State under this Act.
SEC. 4. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Advancing Uniform Transportation Opportunities for Veterans Act
H.R. 3304
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing Uniform
Transportation Opportunities for Veterans Act'' or the ``AUTO
for Veterans Act''.
SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL AUTOMOBILE OR OTHER
ADAPTED EQUIPMENT.
Section 3903(a) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``paragraph (2)'' and
inserting ``paragraphs (2) and (3)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) The Secretary may provide or assist in providing an
eligible person with an additional automobile or other
conveyance under this chapter--
``(A) if more than 25 years have elapsed since the eligible
person most recently received an automobile or other
conveyance under this chapter; or
``(B) beginning on the day that is 10 years after date of
the enactment of the AUTO for Veterans Act, if more than 10
years have elapsed since the eligible person most recently
received an automobile or other conveyance under this
chapter.''.
SEC. 3. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TREATMENT OF CERTAIN
VEHICLE MODIFICATIONS AS MEDICAL SERVICES.
Section 1701(6) of title 38, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(I) The provision of medically necessary van lifts,
raised doors, raised roofs, air-conditioning, and wheelchair
tiedowns for passenger use.''.
SEC. 4. MODIFICATION OF CERTAIN HOUSING LOAN FEE.
(a) Extension.--The loan fee table in section 3729(b)(2) of
title 38, United States Code, is amended by striking
``January 14, 2031'' each place it appears and inserting
``May 16, 2031''.
SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act
H.R. 4081
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Informing Consumers about
Smart Devices Act''.
SEC. 2. REQUIRED DISCLOSURE OF A CAMERA OR RECORDING
CAPABILITY IN CERTAIN INTERNET-CONNECTED
DEVICES.
Each manufacturer of a covered device shall disclose
whether the covered device manufactured by the manufacturer
contains a camera or microphone as a component of the covered
device.
SEC. 3. ENFORCEMENT BY THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION.
(a) Unfair or Deceptive Acts or Practices.--A violation of
section 2 shall be treated as a violation of a rule defining
an unfair or deceptive act or practice prescribed under
section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15
U.S.C. 57a(a)(1)(B)).
(b) Actions by the Commission.--
(1) In general.--The Federal Trade Commission shall prevent
any person from violating this Act or a regulation
promulgated under this Act in the same manner, by the same
means, and with the same jurisdiction,
[[Page H8281]]
powers, and duties as though all applicable terms and
provisions of the Federal Trade Commission Act (15 U.S.C. 41
et seq.) were incorporated into and made a part of this Act.
(2) Penalties and privileges.--Any person who violates this
Act or a regulation promulgated under this Act shall be
subject to the penalties and entitled to the privileges and
immunities provided in the Federal Trade Commission Act (15
U.S.C. 41 et seq.).
(c) Commission Guidance.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Commission, through
outreach to relevant private entities, shall issue guidance
to assist manufacturers in complying with the requirements of
this Act, including guidance about best practices for making
the disclosure required by section 2 as clear and conspicuous
as practicable.
(d) Tailored Guidance.--A manufacturer of a covered device
may petition the Commission for tailored guidance as to how
to meet the requirements of section 2.
(e) Limitation on Commission Guidance.--No guidance issued
by the Commission with respect to this Act shall confer any
rights on any person, State, or locality, nor shall operate
to bind the Commission or any person to the approach
recommended in such guidance. In any enforcement action
brought pursuant to this Act, the Commission shall allege a
specific violation of a provision of this Act. The Commission
may not base an enforcement action on, or execute a consent
order based on, practices that are alleged to be inconsistent
with any such guidelines, unless the Commission determines
such practices expressly violate section 2.
SEC. 4. DEFINITION OF COVERED DEVICE.
As used in this Act, the term ``covered device''--
(1) means a consumer product, as defined by section 3(a) of
the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2052(a)) that is
capable of connecting to the internet, a component of which
is a camera or microphone; and
(2) does not include--
(A) a telephone (including a mobile phone), a laptop,
tablet, or any device that a consumer would reasonably expect
to have a microphone or camera;
(B) any device that is specifically marketed as a camera,
telecommunications device, or microphone; or
(C) any device or apparatus described in sections 255, 716,
and 718, and subsections (aa) and (bb) of section 303 of the
Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 255; 617; 619; and
303(aa) and (bb)), and any regulations promulgated
thereunder.
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall apply to all devices manufactured after the
date that is 180 days after the date on which guidance is
issued by the Commission under section 3(c), and shall not
apply to devices manufactured or sold before such date, or
otherwise introduced into interstate commerce before such
date.
SEC. 6. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Combating the Persecution of Religious Groups in China Act
H.R. 4821
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Combating the Persecution of
Religious Groups in China Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) According to the Department of State's International
Religious Freedom (IRF) report estimates, Buddhists comprise
18.2 percent of the country's total population, Christians,
5.1 percent, Muslims, 1.8 percent, followers of folk
religions, 21.9 percent, and atheists or unaffiliated
persons, 52.2 percent, with Hindus, Jews, and Taoists
comprising less than one percent.
(2) The Government of the People's Republic of China (PRC)
recognizes five official religions, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam,
Protestantism, and Catholicism (according to the State
Department's IRF report) and only religious groups belonging
to one of the five sanctioned ``patriotic religious
associations'' representing these religions are permitted to
register with the government and hold worship service,
excluding all other faiths and denying the ability to worship
without being registered with the government.
(3) The activities of state-sanctioned religious
organizations are regulated by the Chinese Communist Party,
which manages all aspects of religious life.
(4) The Chinese Communist Party is actively seeking to
control, govern, and manipulate all aspects of faith through
the ``Sinicization of Religion'', a process intended to shape
religious traditions and doctrines so they conform with the
objectives of the Chinese Communist Party.
(5) On February 1, 2018, the PRC Government implemented new
religious regulations that imposed restrictions on Chinese
contacts with overseas religious organizations, required
government approval for religious schools, websites, and any
online religious service, and effectively banned unauthorized
religious gatherings and teachings.
(6) There are numerous reports that authorities forced
closures of Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, and Taoist houses
of worship and destroyed public displays of religious symbols
throughout the country.
(7) Authorities arrested and detained religious leaders
trying to hold services online.
(8) There are credible reports of Chinese authorities
raiding house churches and other places of religious worship,
removing and confiscating religious paraphernalia, installing
surveillance cameras on religious property, pressuring
congregations to sing songs of the Chinese Communist Party
and display the national flag during worship, forcing
churches to replace images of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary
with pictures of General Secretary Xi Jinping, and banning
children and students from attending religious services.
(9) It has been reported that the PRC is rewriting and will
issue a version of the Bible with the ``correct
understanding'' of the text according to the Chinese
Communist Party. Authorities continued to restrict the
printing and distribution of the Bible, Quran, and other
religious literature, and penalized publishing and copying
businesses that handled religious materials.
(10) According to the Department of State's IRF reports,
the PRC Government has imprisoned thousands of individuals of
all faiths for practicing their religious beliefs and often
labels them as ``cults''.
(11) The Political Prisoner Database maintained by the
human rights NGO Dui Hua Foundation counted 3,492 individuals
imprisoned for ``organizing or using a `cult' to undermine
implementation of the law.'' Prisoners include--
(A) the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedun Choekyi Nyima, who has
been held captive along with his parents since May 17, 1995;
(B) Pastor Zhang Shaojie, a Three-Self church pastor from
Nanle County in central Henan was sentenced in July 2014 to
12 years in prison for ``gathering a crowd to disrupt the
public order'';
(C) Pastor John Cao, a United States permanent resident
from Greensboro, North Carolina, who was sentenced for 7
years in prison in March 2018 under contrived charges of
organizing illegal border crossings; and
(D) Pastor Wang Yi of the Early Rain Covenant Church who
was arrested and sentenced to 9 years in prison for
``inciting to subvert state power'' and ``illegal business
operations''.
(12) Authorities continue to detain Falun Gong
practitioners and subject them to harsh and inhumane
treatment.
(13) Since 1999, the Department of State has designated the
PRC as a country of particular concern under the
International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
(14) The National Security Strategy of the United States,
issued in 2017, 2015, 2006, 2002, 1999, 1998, and 1997,
committed the United States to promoting international
religious freedom to advance the security, economic, and
other national interests of the United States.
SEC. 3. STATEMENT OF POLICY.
(a) Holding PRC Officials Responsible for Religious Freedom
Abuses Targeting Chinese Christians or Other Religious
Minorities.--It is the policy of the United States to
consider senior officials of the Government of the People's
Republic of China (PRC) who are responsible for or have
directly carried out, at any time, persecution of Christians
or other religious minorities in the PRC to have committed--
(1) a gross violation of internationally recognized human
rights for purposes of imposing sanctions with respect to
such officials under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights
Accountability Act (22 U.S.C. 2656 note); and
(2) a particularly severe violation of religious freedom
for purposes of applying section 212(a)(2)(G) of the
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(2)(G)) with
respect to such officials.
(b) Department of State Programming to Promote Religious
Freedom in the People's Republic of China.--The Ambassador-
at-Large for International Religious Freedom should support
efforts to protect and promote international religious
freedom in the PRC and for programs to protect Christians and
other religious minorities in the PRC.
(c) Designation of the People's Republic of China as a
Country of Particular Concern.--It is the policy of the
United States to continue to designate the PRC as a ``country
of particular concern'', as long as the PRC continues to
engage in systematic and egregious religious freedom
violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom
Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-292).
SEC. 4. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the sense of Congress that the United States should
promote religious freedom in the PRC by--
(1) strengthening religious freedom diplomacy on behalf of
Christians and other religious minorities facing restrictions
in the PRC;
(2) raising cases relating to religious or political
prisoners at the highest levels with PRC officials because
experience demonstrates that consistently raising prisoner
cases can result in improved treatment, reduced sentences, or
in some cases, release from custody, detention, or
imprisonment;
(3) encouraging Members of Congress to ``adopt'' a prisoner
of conscience in the PRC
[[Page H8282]]
through the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's ``Defending
Freedom Project'', raise the case with PRC officials, and
work publicly for their release;
(4) calling on the PRC Government to unconditionally
release religious and political prisoners or, at the very
least, ensure that detainees are treated humanely with access
to family, the lawyer of their choice, independent medical
care, and the ability to practice their faith while in
detention;
(5) encouraging the global faith community to speak in
solidarity with the persecuted religious groups in the PRC;
and
(6) hosting, once every two years, the Ministerial to
Advance Religious Freedom organized by the Department of
State in order to bring together leaders from around the
world to discuss the challenges facing religious freedom,
identify means to address religious persecution and
discrimination worldwide, and promote great respect for and
preservation of religious liberty.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ACTIONS AT UNITED
NATIONS.
It is the sense of Congress that the United Nations Human
Rights Council should issue a formal condemnation of the
People's Republic of China for the ongoing genocide against
Uyghurs and other religious and ethnic minority groups, as
well as for its persecution of Christians, Falun Gong, and
other religious groups.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
September 29, 2022, on page H8282, in the first column, the
following appeared: Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to
hold accountable senior officials of the Government of the
People's Republic of China who are responsible for or have
directly carried out, at any time, persecution of Christians or
other religious minorities in China, and for other purposes.''.
The online version has been corrected to delete the entire text
block.
========================= END NOTE =========================
Credit Union Board Modernization Act
H.R. 6889
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Credit Union Board
Modernization Act''.
SEC. 2. FREQUENCY OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETINGS.
Section 113 of the Federal Credit Union Act (12 U.S.C.
1761b) is amended--
(1) by striking ``monthly'' each place such term appears;
(2) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``The board of directors'' and inserting the following:
``(a) In General.--The board of directors'';
(3) in subsection (a) (as so designated), by striking
``shall meet at least once a month and''; and
(4) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Meetings.--The board of directors of a Federal credit
union shall meet as follows:
``(1) With respect to a de novo Federal credit union, not
less frequently than monthly during each of the first five
years of the existence of such Federal credit union.
``(2) Not less than six times annually, with at least one
meeting held during each fiscal quarter, with respect to a
Federal credit union--
``(A) with composite rating of either 1 or 2 under the
Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System (or an
equivalent rating under a comparable rating system); and
``(B) with a capability of management rating under such
composite rating of either 1 or 2.
``(3) Not less frequently than once a month, with respect
to a Federal credit union--
``(A) with composite rating of either 3, 4, or 5 under the
Uniform Financial Institutions Rating System (or an
equivalent rating under a comparable rating system); or
``(B) with a capability of management rating under such
composite rating of either 3, 4, or 5.''.
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
September 29, 2022, on page H8282, in the second column, the
following appeared: Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to
amend the Federal Credit Union Act to modify the frequency of
board of directors meetings, and for other purposes.''.
The online version has been corrected to delete the entire text
block.
========================= END NOTE =========================
Chance to Compete Act of 2022
H.R. 6967
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Chance to Compete Act of
2022''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
(a) Terms Defined in Section 3304 of Title 5, United States
Code.--In this Act, the terms ``agency'', ``Director'',
``examining agency'', ``Office'', ``subject matter expert'',
and ``technical assessment'' have the meanings given those
terms in subsection (c)(1) of section 3304 of title 5, United
States Code, as added by section 3(a).
(b) Other Terms.--In this Act, the term ``competitive
service'' has the meaning given the term in section 2102 of
title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 3. DEFINING THE TERM ``EXAMINATION'' FOR PURPOSES OF
HIRING IN THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE.
(a) Examinations; Technical Assessments.--
(1) In general.--Section 3304 of title 5, United States
Code, is amended--
(A) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as
subsections (d) through (g), respectively; and
(B) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Examinations.--
``(1) Definitions.--
``(A) Examination.--
``(i) In this chapter, the term `examination'--
``(I) means an opportunity to directly demonstrate
knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies, through an
assessment;
``(II) includes a resume review that is--
``(aa) conducted by a subject matter expert; and
``(bb) based upon indicators that--
``(AA) are derived from a job analysis; and
``(BB) bear a rational relationship to performance in the
position for which the examining agency is hiring; and
``(III) on and after the date that is 2 years after the
date of enactment of the Chance to Compete Act of 2022, does
not include a self-assessment from an automated examination,
a resume review (except as provided in subclause (II)), or
any other method of determining the experience or level of
educational attainment of an individual, alone.
``(ii)(I) An agency's Chief Human Capital Officer may waive
clause (i)(III) if the Officer provides a written report to
the Director of the Office of Personnel Management within 30
days of authorizing the waiver that justifies the need for
such waiver and articulates the data, evidence, and
circumstances for such need.
``(II) The Director is authorized to provide agencies
guidance and instruction on the data, evidence, and
circumstances that should be included in the waiver described
in subclause (I) and shall post any waiver on a public
website within 30 days of receipt of the waiver.
``(III) A waiver shall not be considered in effect until it
is posted on the public website pursuant to subclause (II).
``(B) Other definitions.--In this subsection--
``(i) the term `agency' means an agency described in
section 901(b) of title 31;
``(ii) the term `Director' means the Director of the
Office;
``(iii) the term `examining agency' means--
``(I) the Office; or
``(II) an agency to which the Director has delegated
examining authority under section 1104(a)(2) of this title;
``(iv) the term `subject matter expert' means an employee
or selecting official--
``(I) who possesses understanding of the duties of, and
knowledge, skills, and abilities required for, the position
for which the employee or selecting official is developing or
administering an assessment; and
``(II) whom the agency that employs the employee or
selecting official designates to assist in the development
and administration of technical assessments under paragraph
(2); and
``(v) the term `technical assessment' means an assessment
developed under paragraph (2)(A)(i) that--
``(I) allows for the demonstration of job-related technical
skills, abilities, and knowledge;
``(II)(aa) is based upon a job analysis; and
``(bb) is relevant to the position for which the assessment
is developed; and
``(III) may include--
``(aa) a structured interview;
``(bb) a work-related exercise;
``(cc) a custom or generic procedure used to measure an
individual's employment or career-related qualifications and
interests; or
``(dd) another assessment that meets the criteria under
subclauses (I) and (II).
``(2) Technical assessments.--
``(A) In general.--For the purpose of conducting an
examination for a position in the competitive service, an
individual or individuals whom an agency determines to have
an expertise in the subject and job field of the position, as
affirmed and audited by the Chief Human Capital Officer or
Human Resources Director (as applicable) of that agency,
may--
``(i) develop, in partnership with human resources
employees of the examining agency, a position-specific
assessment that is relevant to the position; and
``(ii) administer the assessment developed under clause (i)
to--
``(I) determine whether an applicant for the position has
demonstrated qualification for the position; or
``(II) rank applicants for the position for category rating
purposes under section 3319.
``(B) Sharing and customization of assessments.--
``(i) Sharing.--An examining agency may share a technical
assessment with another examining agency if each agency
maintains appropriate control over examination material.
``(ii) Customization.--An examining agency with which a
technical assessment is shared under clause (i) may customize
the assessment as appropriate, provided that the resulting
assessment satisfies the requirements under part 300 of title
5, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).
[[Page H8283]]
``(iii) Platform for sharing and customization.--
``(I) In general.--The Director shall establish and operate
an online platform on which examining agencies can share and
customize technical assessments under this subparagraph.
``(II) Online platform.--The Director shall--
``(aa) not be responsible for independently validating the
utility of the content and technical assessments shared in
the online platform described in subclause (I); and
``(bb) ensure that such online platform includes the
ability of its users to rate the utility of the content and
technical assessments shared in the online platform to allow
for a ranking of such contents.
``(3) Regulations.--Not later than one year after the date
of enactment of the Chance to Compete Act of 2022, the Office
of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations necessary
for the administration of this subsection with respect to
employees in each agency.''.
(2) Alternative ranking and selection procedures.--Section
3319(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following: ``To be placed in a quality
category under the preceding sentence, an applicant shall be
required to have passed an examination in accordance with
section 3304(b), subject to the exceptions in that
section.''.
(3) Technical and conforming amendment.--Section
3330a(a)(1)(B) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``section 3304(f)(1)'' and inserting ``section
3304(g)(1)''.
(b) OPM Reporting.--
(1) Public online tool.--
(A) In general.--The Director of the Office of Personnel
Management shall maintain and periodically update a publicly
available online tool that, with respect to each position in
the competitive service for which an examining agency
examined applicants during the applicable period, includes--
(i) the type of assessment used, such as--
(I) a behavioral off-the-shelf assessment;
(II) a resume review conducted by a subject matter expert;
(III) an interview conducted by a subject matter expert;
(IV) a technical off-the-shelf assessment; or
(V) a cognitive ability test;
(ii) whether or not the agency selected a candidate for the
position; and
(iii) the hiring authority used to fill the position.
(B) Timing.--
(i) Initial data.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall update the
online tool described in subparagraph (A) with data for
positions in the competitive service for which an examining
agency examined applicants during the period beginning on the
date of enactment of this Act and ending on the date of
submission of the report.
(ii) Subsequent updates.--Not later than October 1 of each
fiscal year beginning after the date on which the online tool
is initially updated under clause (i), the Director shall
update the online tool described in subparagraph (A) with
data for positions in the competitive service for which an
examining agency examined applicants during the preceding
fiscal year.
(2) Annual progress report.--
(A) In general.--Each year, the Director, in accordance
with subparagraphs (B) and (C), shall make publicly available
and submit to Congress an overall progress report that
includes summary data from examinations that are closed,
audited, and anonymous on the use of examinations (as defined
in subsection (c)(1)(A) of section 3304 of title 5, United
States Code, as added by subsection (a) of this section) for
the competitive service, including technical assessments.
(B) Categories; baseline data.--In carrying out
subparagraph (A), the Director shall--
(i) break the data down by applicant demographic indicator,
including veteran status, race, gender, disability, and any
other measure the Director determines appropriate; and
(ii) use the data available as of October 1, 2020, as a
baseline.
(C) Limitations.--In carrying out subparagraph (A), the
Director may only make publicly available and submit to
Congress data relating to examinations for which--
(i) the related announcement is closed;
(ii) certificates have been audited; and
(iii) all hiring processes are completed.
(c) GAO Report.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit to Congress a report that--
(1) assesses the implementation of this section and the
amendments made by this section;
(2) assesses the impact and modifications to the hiring
process for the competitive service made by this section and
the amendments made by this section; and
(3) makes recommendations for the improvement of the hiring
process for the competitive service.
SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO COMPETITIVE SERVICE ACT OF 2015.
(a) Platforms for Sharing Certificates of Eligibles.--
(1) In general.--Section 3318(b) of title 5, United States
Code, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``240-day'' and inserting
``1-year'';
(B) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); and
(C) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following:
``(5) Online tool for sharing resumes of individuals on
certificates of eligibles.--Not later than one year after the
date of enactment of the Chance to Compete Act of 2022, the
Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall
establish and operate an online tool on which an appointing
authority can share, with other appointing authorities and
the Chief Human Capital Officers Council established under
section 1303 of the Chief Human Capital Officers Act of 2002
(5 U.S.C. 1401 note; Public Law 107-296), the resumes of
individuals who are on a certificate of eligibles requested
by the appointing authority. In carrying out this paragraph,
the Director shall consult with the Chief Human Capital
Officers Counsel and its membership to develop a plan to
establish such online tool.''.
(2) Plan.--Not later than 270 days year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall provide to Congress
a plan to develop the online tool required in paragraph (5)
of section 3318(b) of title 5, United States Code, as added
by paragraph (1) of this subsection. Such plan shall--
(A) incorporate the input and feedback collected during the
required consultation under such paragraph; and
(B) include estimated costs for building and operating the
online tool for ten years.
(b) Maximizing Sharing of Applicant Information.--Section 2
of the Competitive Service Act of 2015 (Public Law 114-137;
130 Stat. 310) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections
(d) and (e), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) Exploring the Benefits of Maximizing Sharing of
Applicant Information.--
``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection--
``(A) the terms `agency', `Director', and `Office' have the
meanings given those terms in section 3304(c)(1) of title 5,
United States Code; and
``(B) the term `competitive service' has the meaning given
the term in section 2102 of title 5, United States Code.
``(2) Maximizing sharing.--The Director shall research the
benefits of maximizing the sharing of information among
agencies regarding qualified applicants for positions in the
competitive service, including by--
``(A) providing for the delegation to other agencies of the
authority of the Office to host multi-agency hiring actions
to increase the return on investment on high-quality pooled
announcements; and
``(B) sharing certificates of eligibles and accompanying
resumes for appointment.''.
(c) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall provide a written
report to Congress on the findings of the research required
by the amendment made by subsection (b)(2). Such report shall
include a plan to implement the most effective methods of
maximizing the sharing of qualified candidates for positions
in the competitive service.
SEC. 5. MODERNIZING AND REFORMING THE ASSESSMENT AND HIRING
OF FEDERAL JOB CANDIDATES.
(a) OPM Review.--The Director shall conduct a review of all
examinations for hiring for a position that the Office or any
other examining agency has determined requires a minimum
educational requirement because of the nature of the duties
of such position is of a scientific, technical, or
professional position pursuant to section 3308 of title 5,
United States Code, to determine whether there are data,
evidence, or other information that justifies the need for
educational requirements for such position. The Director
shall consult with appropriate agencies, employee
representatives, external experts, and other stakeholders
when making any such determinations.
(b) Online Tool Regarding Position Duties.--
(1) In general.--Not later than two years after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall create and maintain
an online tool that lists each of the duties determined to
require minimum educational requirements and the data,
evidence, or other information that justifies the need for
these educational requirements. This online tool shall
include a mechanism to receive feedback regarding data,
evidence, or information that could affect the determination
that a duty requires a minimum educational requirement.
(2) Hiring practices.--Not later than one year after the
creation of the online tool under paragraph (1), the Director
and the head of any other examining agency shall amend the
hiring practices of the Office or the other examining agency,
respectively, in accordance with the findings of the review
made by subsection (a).
(c) Online Tool Regarding Recruiting.--Upon the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director shall establish and
maintain an online tool that provides Federal agencies
guidance on, and information about, all programs and
authorities that help agencies attract, recruit, hire, and
retain individuals.
SEC. 6. TALENT TEAMS.
(a) Federal Agency Talent Teams.--
(1) In general.--An agency may establish one or more talent
teams (referred to in this section as ``agency talent
teams''), including at the component level.
(2) Duties.--An agency talent team shall provide hiring
support to the agency and other agencies, including by--
(A) improving examinations (as defined in subsection
(c)(1)(A) of section 3304 of title 5, United States Code, as
added by section 3(a));
[[Page H8284]]
(B) facilitating writing job announcements for the
competitive service;
(C) sharing high-quality certificates of eligibles; and
(D) facilitating hiring for the competitive service using
examinations (as defined in such subsection (c)(1)(A)) and
subject matter experts.
(b) Office of Personnel Management.--The Director may
establish a Federal talent team to support agency talent
teams in facilitating pooled hiring actions across the
Federal Government, providing training, and creating
technology platforms to facilitate hiring for the competitive
service, including--
(1) the development of technical assessments; and
(2) the sharing of certificates of eligibles and
accompanying resumes under sections 3318(b) and 3319(c) of
title 5, United States Code.
SEC. 7. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
Improving Trauma Systems and Emergency Care Act
H.R. 8163
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Trauma Systems and
Emergency Care Act''.
SEC. 2. TRAUMA CARE REAUTHORIZATION.
(a) In General.--Section 1201 of the Public Health Service
Act (42 U.S.C. 300d) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)--
(A) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by inserting ``analyze,'' after ``compile,''; and
(ii) by inserting ``and medically underserved areas''
before the semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (4), by adding ``and'' after the
semicolon;
(C) by striking paragraph (5); and
(D) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (5);
(2) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Trauma Care Readiness and Coordination.--The
Secretary, acting through the Assistant Secretary for
Preparedness and Response, shall support the efforts of
States and consortia of States to coordinate and improve
emergency medical services and trauma care during a public
health emergency declared by the Secretary pursuant to
section 319 or a major disaster or emergency declared by the
President under section 401 or 501, respectively, of the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act. Such support may include--
``(1) developing, issuing, and updating guidance, as
appropriate, to support the coordinated medical triage and
evacuation to appropriate medical institutions based on
patient medical need, taking into account regionalized
systems of care;
``(2) disseminating, as appropriate, information on
evidence-based or evidence-informed trauma care practices,
taking into consideration emergency medical services and
trauma care systems, including such practices identified
through activities conducted under subsection (a) and which
may include the identification and dissemination of
performance metrics, as applicable and appropriate; and
``(3) other activities, as appropriate, to optimize a
coordinated and flexible approach to the emergency response
and medical surge capacity of hospitals, other health care
facilities, critical care, and emergency medical systems.''.
(b) Grants To Improve Trauma Care in Rural Areas.--Section
1202 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-3) is
amended--
(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
``grants to improve trauma care in rural areas'';
(2) by amending subsections (a) and (b) to read as follows:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants to
eligible entities for the purpose of carrying out research
and demonstration projects to support the improvement of
emergency medical services and trauma care in rural areas
through the development of innovative uses of technology,
training and education, transportation of seriously injured
patients for the purposes of receiving such emergency medical
services, access to prehospital care, evaluation of protocols
for the purposes of improvement of outcomes and dissemination
of any related best practices, activities to facilitate
clinical research, as applicable and appropriate, and
increasing communication and coordination with applicable
State or Tribal trauma systems.
``(b) Eligible Entities.--
``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under
this section, an entity shall be a public or private entity
that provides trauma care in a rural area.
``(2) Priority.--In awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities that will
provide services under the grant in any rural area identified
by a State under section 1214(d)(1).''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(d) Reports.--An entity that receives a grant under this
section shall submit to the Secretary such reports as the
Secretary may require to inform administration of the program
under this section.''.
(c) Pilot Grants for Trauma Centers.--Section 1204 of the
Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-6) is amended--
(1) by amending the section heading to read as follows:
``pilot grants for trauma centers'';
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) by striking ``not fewer than 4'' and inserting ``10'';
(B) by striking ``that design, implement, and evaluate''
and inserting ``to design, implement, and evaluate new or
existing'';
(C) by striking ``emergency care'' and inserting
``emergency medical''; and
(D) by inserting ``, and improve access to trauma care
within such systems'' before the period;
(3) in subsection (b)(1), by striking subparagraphs (A) and
(B) and inserting the following:
``(A) a State or consortia of States;
``(B) an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization (as defined in
section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education
Assistance Act);
``(C) a consortium of level I, II, or III trauma centers
designated by applicable State or local agencies within an
applicable State or region, and, as applicable, other
emergency services providers; or
``(D) a consortium or partnership of nonprofit Indian
Health Service, Indian Tribal, and urban Indian trauma
centers.'';
(4) in subsection (c)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``that proposes a pilot project''; and
(ii) by striking ``an emergency medical and trauma system
that--'' and inserting ``a new or existing emergency medical
and trauma system. Such eligible entity shall use amounts
awarded under this subsection to carry out 2 or more of the
following activities:'';
(B) in paragraph (1)--
(i) by striking ``coordinates'' and inserting
``Strengthening coordination and communication''; and
(ii) by striking ``an approach to emergency medical and
trauma system access throughout the region, including 9-1-1
Public Safety Answering Points and emergency medical
dispatch;'' and inserting ``approaches to improve situational
awareness and emergency medical and trauma system access.'';
(C) in paragraph (2)--
(i) by striking ``includes'' and inserting ``Providing'';
(ii) by inserting ``support patient movement to'' after
``region to''; and
(iii) by striking the semicolon and inserting a period;
(D) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``allows for'' and inserting ``Improving'';
and
(ii) by striking ``; and'' and inserting a period;
(E) in paragraph (4), by striking ``includes a consistent''
and inserting ``Supporting a consistent''; and
(F) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) Establishing, implementing, and disseminating, or
utilizing existing, as applicable, evidence-based or
evidence-informed practices across facilities within such
emergency medical and trauma system to improve health
outcomes, including such practices related to management of
injuries, and the ability of such facilities to surge.
``(6) Conducting activities to facilitate clinical
research, as applicable and appropriate.'';
(5) in subsection (d)(2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A)--
(i) in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking ``the
proposed'' and inserting ``the applicable emergency medical
and trauma system'';
(ii) in clause (i), by inserting ``or Tribal entity'' after
``equivalent State office''; and
(iii) in clause (vi), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C);
and
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
``(B) for eligible entities described in subparagraph (C)
or (D) of subsection (b)(1), a description of, and evidence
of, coordination with the applicable State Office of
Emergency Medical Services (or equivalent State Office) or
applicable such office for a Tribe or Tribal organization;
and'';
(6) in subsection (f), by striking ``population in a
medically underserved area'' and inserting ``medically
underserved population'';
(7) in subsection (g)--
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking
``described in'';
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``the system
characteristics that contribute to'' and inserting
``opportunities for improvement, including recommendations
for how to improve'';
(C) by striking paragraph (4);
(D) by redesignating paragraphs (5) and (6) as paragraphs
(4) and (5), respectively;
(E) in paragraph (4), as so redesignated, by striking ``;
and'' and inserting a semicolon;
(F) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated, by striking the
period and inserting ``; and''; and
(G) by adding at the end the following:
``(6) any evidence-based or evidence-informed strategies
developed or utilized pursuant to subsection (c)(5).''; and
(8) by amending subsection (h) to read as follows:
``(h) Dissemination of Findings.--Not later than 1 year
after the completion of the final project under subsection
(a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Health,
Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the
Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of
Representatives a report describing the information contained
in each report submitted pursuant to subsection (g) and any
additional actions
[[Page H8285]]
planned by the Secretary related to regionalized emergency
care and trauma systems.''.
(d) Program Funding.--Section 1232(a) of the Public Health
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300d-32(a)) is amended by striking
``2010 through 2014'' and inserting ``2023 through 2027''.
Strengthening Whistleblower Protections at the Department of Veterans
Affairs Act
H.R. 8510
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Strengthening Whistleblower
Protections at the Department of Veterans Affairs Act''.
SEC. 2. COUNSEL OF OFFICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHISTLEBLOWER
PROTECTION.
Subsection (e) of section 323 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended--
(1) by inserting ``(1)'' before ``The Office''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(2) The Assistant Secretary shall appoint a Counsel of
the Office, who shall be a career appointee in the Senior
Executive Service and shall report to the Assistant
Secretary. The Counsel shall provide the Assistant Secretary
with legal advice on all matters relating to the Office. In
accordance with subsection (e), the Assistant Secretary may
hire the appropriate staff for the Counsel to provide such
legal advice.''.
SEC. 3. MODIFICATIONS TO FUNCTIONS OF OFFICE OF
ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION.
Subsection (c)(1) of such section is amended--
(1) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B);
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) through (G) as
subparagraphs (A) through (E), respectively;
(3) in subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by inserting
``and allegations of whistleblower retaliation'' after
``disclosures'';
(4) by striking subparagraph (B), as so redesignated, and
inserting the following new subparagraph:
``(B) Referring employees of the Department to the Office
of Special Counsel so the Office of Special Counsel may
receive whistleblower disclosures and allegations of
whistleblower retaliation.''; and
(5) by striking subparagraphs (H) and (I).
SEC. 4. EXPANSION OF WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTIONS.
(a) Clarification of Prohibited Personnel Action.--Section
731(c) of such title is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting
``, or threatening to take or fail to take,'' after ``failing
to take''; and
(B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``, or with respect
to an allegation of such a disclosure'' before the semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, making a referral to
boards of licensure,'' after ``negative peer review''.
(b) Function of Office of Accountability and Whistleblower
Protection.--Section 323(g) of such title is amended by
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4) The term `prohibited personnel action' has the
meaning given such term in section 731(c) of this title.''.
SEC. 5. TRACKING AND ENFORCEMENT OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENTS REGARDING WHISTLEBLOWERS.
Subsection (c) of section 323 of such title, as amended by
section 4, is further amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following
new subparagraphs:
``(I) Tracking the negotiation, implementation, and
enforcement of settlement agreements entered into by the
Secretary regarding claims of whistleblower retaliation,
including with respect to the work of the General Counsel of
the Department regarding such settlements.
``(J) Tracking the determinations made by the Special
Counsel regarding claims of whistleblower retaliation,
including--
``(i) any disciplinary action for the individual who
engaged in whistleblower retaliation; and
``(ii) determinations regarding the need for settlement as
identified by the Special Counsel, and any settlement
resolving claims of whistleblower retaliation entered into by
the Secretary with the whistleblower.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(4)(A) In carrying out subparagraph (I) of paragraph (1),
the Assistant Secretary shall, in consultation with the
General Counsel, establish metrics and standards regarding--
``(i) the timely implementation of settlement agreements
entered into by the Secretary regarding whistleblower
retaliation; and
``(ii) reasonable restitution and restoration of
employment, and other relief for whistleblowers; and
``(B) The Assistant Secretary shall establish a secure
electronic system to carry out subparagraphs (I) and (J) of
paragraph (1) in a manner that ensures the confidentiality of
the identity of a whistleblower.''.
SEC. 6. TRAINING AND INFORMATION.
Section 323 of such title is further amended--
(1) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ``receive anonymous
whistleblower disclosures'' and inserting ``provide
information to employees of the Department regarding the
rights of and procedures for whistleblowers'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (i); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (f) the following new
subsections:
``(g) Training.--The Assistant Secretary shall--
``(1) develop, in consultation with the Special Counsel,
annual training on whistleblower protection and related
issues;
``(2) provide and make such training available to employees
of the Department; and
``(3) disseminate training materials and information to
employees on whistleblower rights, whistleblower disclosures,
and allegations of whistleblower retaliation, including any
materials created pursuant to section 733 of this title.''.
SEC. 7. IMPROVEMENTS TO ANNUAL REPORTS.
Subsection (f) of section 323 of such title is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(B)(ii), by striking ``subsection
(C)(1)(G)'' and inserting ``subsection (c)(1)(E)'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``under subsection (c)(1)(I)'' and
inserting ``by the Special Counsel''; and
(B) by inserting ``not later than 60 days after such date''
before ``the Secretary shall''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(3) Not later than June 30, 2023, and semiannually
thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives and the
Senate a report on settlements described in paragraph (1)(I)
of subsection (c), including, with respect to the period
covered by the report--
``(A) the number of settlements under negotiation or
executed, and the number of executed settlements that have
not been fully implemented;
``(B) the explanation as to why any such executed
settlement has not been fully implemented;
``(C) a description of the metrics described in paragraph
(4)(A) of such subsection; and
``(D) identification of settlement agreements that are not
meeting such metrics and standards, or for which the
Assistant Secretary is aware of a determination that a breach
of agreement has been found.''.
John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Act of 2022
H.R. 8681
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``John Lewis Civil Rights
Fellowship Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. JOHN LEWIS CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
The Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2451 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``SEC. 115. JOHN LEWIS CIVIL RIGHTS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.
``(a) Establishment.--There is established the John Lewis
Civil Rights Fellowship Program (referred to in this section
as the `Fellowship Program') within the J. William Fulbright
Educational Exchange Program.
``(b) Purposes.--The purposes of the Fellowship Program
are--
``(1) to honor the legacy of Representative John Lewis by
promoting a greater understanding of the history and tenets
of nonviolent civil rights movements; and
``(2) to advance foreign policy priorities of the United
States by promoting studies, research, and international
exchange in the subject of nonviolent movements that
established and protected civil rights around the world.
``(c) Administration.--The Bureau of Educational and
Cultural Affairs (referred to in this section as the
`Bureau') shall administer the Fellowship Program in
accordance with policy guidelines established by the
Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, in consultation with the
binational Fulbright Commissions and United States Embassies.
``(d) Selection of Fellows.--
``(1) In general.--The Board shall annually select
qualified individuals to participate in the Fellowship
Program. The Bureau may determine the number of fellows
selected each year, which, whenever feasible, shall be not
fewer than 25.
``(2) Outreach.--To the extent practicable, the Bureau
shall conduct outreach at institutions the Bureau determines
are likely to produce a range of qualified applicants.
``(e) Fellowship Orientation.--The Bureau shall organize
and administer a fellowship orientation that shall--
``(1) be held in Washington, DC, or at another location
selected by the Bureau;
``(2) include programming to honor the legacy of
Representative John Lewis; and
``(3) be held on an annual basis.
``(f) Structure.--
``(1) Work plan.--To carry out the purposes described in
subsection (b)(2)--
``(A) each fellow selected pursuant to subsection (d) shall
arrange an internship or research placement--
``(i) with a nongovernmental organization, academic
institution, or other organization approved by the Bureau;
and
``(ii) in a country with an operational Fulbright U.S.
Student Program; and
``(B) the Bureau shall, for each fellow, approve a work
plan that identifies the target objectives for the fellow,
including specific
[[Page H8286]]
duties and responsibilities relating to those objectives.
``(2) Conferences; presentations.--Each fellow shall--
``(A) attend the fellowship orientation described in
subsection (e);
``(B) not later than the date that is 1 year after the end
of the fellowship period, attend a fellowship summit
organized and administered by the Bureau, which, whenever
feasible, shall be held in a location of importance to the
civil rights movement in the United States and may coincide
with other events facilitated by the Bureau; and
``(C) at such summit, give a presentation on lessons
learned during the period of fellowship.
``(3) Fellowship period.--Each fellowship under this
section shall continue for a period determined by the Bureau,
which, whenever feasible, shall be not shorter than 10
months.
``(g) Fellowship Award.--The Bureau shall provide each
fellow under this section with an allowance that is equal to
the amount needed for--
``(1) the fellow's reasonable costs during the fellowship
period; and
``(2) travel and lodging expenses related to attending the
orientation and summit required under subsection (e)(2).
``(h) Reports.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
completion of the Fellowship Program by the initial cohort of
fellows selected under subsection (d), and on an annual basis
thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives
and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate a report
providing information on the implementation of the Fellowship
Program, including on--
``(1) the demographics of the cohort of fellows who
completed a fellowship during the preceding 1-year period;
``(2) a description of internship and research placements,
and research projects selected, under the Fellowship Program,
including participant feedback on program implementation and
feedback of the Department on lessons learned;
``(3) a plan for factoring such lessons learned into future
programming; and
``(4) an analysis of trends relating to the diversity of
the cohorts of fellows and the topics of projects completed
over the course of the Fellowship Program.''.
SEC. 3. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO THE MUTUAL
EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL EXCHANGE ACT OF 1961A.
Section 112(a) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural
Exchange Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2460(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (8), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (9), by striking the period and inserting
``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(10) the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Program
established under section 115, which provides funding for
international internships and research placements for early-
to mid-career individuals from the United States to study
nonviolent civil rights movements in self-arranged placements
with universities or nongovernmental organizations in foreign
countries.''.
SEC. 4. SUNSET.
The authority to carry out the John Lewis Civil Rights
Fellowship Program established under section 115 of the
Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 (22
U.S.C. 2451 et seq.), as added by section 2, shall expire on
the date that is 7 years after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
Expanding Home Loans for Guard and Reservists Act
H.R. 8875
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Expanding Home Loans for
Guard and Reservists Act''.
SEC. 2. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY OF MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL
GUARD FOR HOUSING LOANS GUARANTEED BY THE
SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
Section 3701(b)(7) of title 38, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``full-time National Guard duty'' and
inserting ``active service''.
SEC. 3. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall
be determined by reference to the latest statement titled
``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation'' for this Act,
submitted for printing in the Congressional Record by the
Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that such
statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
FedRAMP Authorization Act
H.R. 8956
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``FedRAMP Authorization Act''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds the following:
(1) Ensuring that the Federal Government can securely
leverage cloud computing products and services is key to
expediting the modernization of legacy information technology
systems, increasing cybersecurity within and across
departments and agencies, and supporting the continued
leadership of the United States in technology innovation and
job creation.
(2) According to independent analysis, as of calendar year
2019, the size of the cloud computing market had tripled
since 2004, enabling more than 2,000,000 jobs and adding more
than $200,000,000,000 to the gross domestic product of the
United States.
(3) The Federal Government, across multiple presidential
administrations and Congresses, has continued to support the
ability of agencies to move to the cloud, including through--
(A) President Barack Obama's ``Cloud First Strategy'';
(B) President Donald Trump's ``Cloud Smart Strategy'';
(C) the prioritization of cloud security in Executive Order
14028 (86 Fed. Reg. 26633; relating to improving the nation's
cybersecurity), which was issued by President Joe Biden; and
(D) more than a decade of appropriations and authorization
legislation that provides agencies with relevant authorities
and appropriations to modernize on-premises information
technology systems and more readily adopt cloud computing
products and services.
(4) Since it was created in 2011, the Federal Risk and
Authorization Management Program (referred to in this section
as ``FedRAMP'') at the General Services Administration has
made steady and sustained improvements in supporting the
secure authorization and reuse of cloud computing products
and services within the Federal Government, including by
reducing the costs and burdens on both agencies and cloud
companies to quickly and securely enter the Federal market.
(5) According to data from the General Services
Administration, as of the end of fiscal year 2021, there were
239 cloud providers with FedRAMP authorizations, and those
authorizations had been reused more than 2,700 times across
various agencies.
(6) Providing a legislative framework for FedRAMP and new
authorities to the General Services Administration, the
Office of Management and Budget, and Federal agencies will--
(A) improve the speed at which new cloud computing products
and services can be securely authorized;
(B) enhance the ability of agencies to effectively evaluate
FedRAMP authorized providers for reuse;
(C) reduce the costs and burdens to cloud providers seeking
a FedRAMP authorization; and
(D) provide for more robust transparency and dialogue
between industry and the Federal Government to drive stronger
adoption of secure cloud capabilities, create jobs, and
reduce wasteful legacy information technology.
SEC. 3. TITLE 44 AMENDMENTS.
(a) Amendment.--Chapter 36 of title 44, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 3607. Definitions
``(a) In General.--Except as provided under subsection (b),
the definitions under sections 3502 and 3552 apply to this
section through section 3616.
``(b) Additional Definitions.--In this section through
section 3616:
``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the
Administrator of General Services.
``(2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
`appropriate congressional committees' means the Committee on
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate and
the Committee on Oversight and Reform of the House of
Representatives.
``(3) Authorization to operate; federal information.--The
terms `authorization to operate' and `Federal information'
have the meaning given those term in Circular A-130 of the
Office of Management and Budget entitled `Managing
Information as a Strategic Resource', or any successor
document.
``(4) Cloud computing.--The term `cloud computing' has the
meaning given the term in Special Publication 800-145 of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology, or any
successor document.
``(5) Cloud service provider.--The term `cloud service
provider' means an entity offering cloud computing products
or services to agencies.
``(6) FedRAMP.--The term `FedRAMP' means the Federal Risk
and Authorization Management Program established under
section 3608.
``(7) FedRAMP authorization.--The term `FedRAMP
authorization' means a certification that a cloud computing
product or service has--
``(A) completed a FedRAMP authorization process, as
determined by the Administrator; or
``(B) received a FedRAMP provisional authorization to
operate, as determined by the FedRAMP Board.
``(8) Fedramp authorization package.--The term `FedRAMP
authorization package' means the essential information that
can be used by an agency to determine whether to authorize
the operation of an information system or the use of a
designated set of common controls for all cloud computing
products and services authorized by FedRAMP.
[[Page H8287]]
``(9) FedRAMP board.--The term `FedRAMP Board' means the
board established under section 3610.
``(10) Independent assessment service.--The term
`independent assessment service' means a third-party
organization accredited by the Administrator to undertake
conformity assessments of cloud service providers and the
products or services of cloud service providers.
``(11) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary
of Homeland Security.
``Sec. 3608. Federal Risk and Authorization Management
Program
``There is established within the General Services
Administration the Federal Risk and Authorization Management
Program. The Administrator, subject to section 3614, shall
establish a Government-wide program that provides a
standardized, reusable approach to security assessment and
authorization for cloud computing products and services that
process unclassified information used by agencies.
``Sec. 3609. Roles and responsibilities of the General
Services Administration
``(a) Roles and Responsibilities.--The Administrator
shall--
``(1) in consultation with the Secretary, develop,
coordinate, and implement a process to support agency review,
reuse, and standardization, where appropriate, of security
assessments of cloud computing products and services,
including, as appropriate, oversight of continuous monitoring
of cloud computing products and services, pursuant to
guidance issued by the Director pursuant to section 3614;
``(2) establish processes and identify criteria consistent
with guidance issued by the Director under section 3614 to
make a cloud computing product or service eligible for a
FedRAMP authorization and validate whether a cloud computing
product or service has a FedRAMP authorization;
``(3) develop and publish templates, best practices,
technical assistance, and other materials to support the
authorization of cloud computing products and services and
increase the speed, effectiveness, and transparency of the
authorization process, consistent with standards and
guidelines established by the Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology and relevant statutes;
``(4) establish and update guidance on the boundaries of
FedRAMP authorization packages to enhance the security and
protection of Federal information and promote transparency
for agencies and users as to which services are included in
the scope of a FedRAMP authorization;
``(5) grant FedRAMP authorizations to cloud computing
products and services consistent with the guidance and
direction of the FedRAMP Board;
``(6) establish and maintain a public comment process for
proposed guidance and other FedRAMP directives that may have
a direct impact on cloud service providers and agencies
before the issuance of such guidance or other FedRAMP
directives;
``(7) coordinate with the FedRAMP Board, the Director of
the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and
other entities identified by the Administrator, with the
concurrence of the Director and the Secretary, to establish
and regularly update a framework for continuous monitoring
under section 3553;
``(8) provide a secure mechanism for storing and sharing
necessary data, including FedRAMP authorization packages, to
enable better reuse of such packages across agencies,
including making available any information and data necessary
for agencies to fulfill the requirements of section 3613;
``(9) provide regular updates to applicant cloud service
providers on the status of any cloud computing product or
service during an assessment process;
``(10) regularly review, in consultation with the FedRAMP
Board--
``(A) the costs associated with the independent assessment
services described in section 3611; and
``(B) the information relating to foreign interests
submitted pursuant to section 3612;
``(11) in coordination with the Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, the Director, the
Secretary, and other stakeholders, as appropriate, determine
the sufficiency of underlying standards and requirements to
identify and assess the provenance of the software in cloud
services and products;
``(12) support the Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee
established pursuant to section 3616; and
``(13) take such other actions as the Administrator may
determine necessary to carry out FedRAMP.
``(b) Website.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall maintain a
public website to serve as the authoritative repository for
FedRAMP, including the timely publication and updates for all
relevant information, guidance, determinations, and other
materials required under subsection (a).
``(2) Criteria and process for fedramp authorization
priorities.--The Administrator shall develop and make
publicly available on the website described in paragraph (1)
the criteria and process for prioritizing and selecting cloud
computing products and services that will receive a FedRAMP
authorization, in consultation with the FedRAMP Board and the
Chief Information Officers Council.
``(c) Evaluation of Automation Procedures.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator, in coordination with
the Secretary, shall assess and evaluate available automation
capabilities and procedures to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of the issuance of FedRAMP authorizations,
including continuous monitoring of cloud computing products
and services.
``(2) Means for automation.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this section, and updated regularly
thereafter, the Administrator shall establish a means for the
automation of security assessments and reviews.
``(d) Metrics for Authorization.--The Administrator shall
establish annual metrics regarding the time and quality of
the assessments necessary for completion of a FedRAMP
authorization process in a manner that can be consistently
tracked over time in conjunction with the periodic testing
and evaluation process pursuant to section 3554 in a manner
that minimizes the agency reporting burden.
``Sec. 3610. FedRAMP Board
``(a) Establishment.--There is established a FedRAMP Board
to provide input and recommendations to the Administrator
regarding the requirements and guidelines for, and the
prioritization of, security assessments of cloud computing
products and services.
``(b) Membership.--The FedRAMP Board shall consist of not
more than 7 senior officials or experts from agencies
appointed by the Director, in consultation with the
Administrator, from each of the following:
``(1) The Department of Defense.
``(2) The Department of Homeland Security.
``(3) The General Services Administration.
``(4) Such other agencies as determined by the Director, in
consultation with the Administrator.
``(c) Qualifications.--Members of the FedRAMP Board
appointed under subsection (b) shall have technical expertise
in domains relevant to FedRAMP, such as--
``(1) cloud computing;
``(2) cybersecurity;
``(3) privacy;
``(4) risk management; and
``(5) other competencies identified by the Director to
support the secure authorization of cloud services and
products.
``(d) Duties.--The FedRAMP Board shall--
``(1) in consultation with the Administrator, serve as a
resource for best practices to accelerate the process for
obtaining a FedRAMP authorization;
``(2) establish and regularly update requirements and
guidelines for security authorizations of cloud computing
products and services, consistent with standards and
guidelines established by the Director of the National
Institute of Standards and Technology, to be used in the
determination of FedRAMP authorizations;
``(3) monitor and oversee, to the greatest extent
practicable, the processes and procedures by which agencies
determine and validate requirements for a FedRAMP
authorization, including periodic review of the agency
determinations described in section 3613(b);
``(4) ensure consistency and transparency between agencies
and cloud service providers in a manner that minimizes
confusion and engenders trust; and
``(5) perform such other roles and responsibilities as the
Director may assign, with concurrence from the Administrator.
``(e) Determinations of Demand for Cloud Computing Products
and Services.--The FedRAMP Board may consult with the Chief
Information Officers Council to establish a process, which
may be made available on the website maintained under section
3609(b), for prioritizing and accepting the cloud computing
products and services to be granted a FedRAMP authorization.
``Sec. 3611. Independent assessment
``The Administrator may determine whether FedRAMP may use
an independent assessment service to analyze, validate, and
attest to the quality and compliance of security assessment
materials provided by cloud service providers during the
course of a determination of whether to use a cloud computing
product or service.
``Sec. 3612. Declaration of foreign interests
``(a) In General.--An independent assessment service that
performs services described in section 3611 shall annually
submit to the Administrator information relating to any
foreign interest, foreign influence, or foreign control of
the independent assessment service.
``(b) Updates.--Not later than 48 hours after there is a
change in foreign ownership or control of an independent
assessment service that performs services described in
section 3611, the independent assessment service shall submit
to the Administrator an update to the information submitted
under subsection (a).
``(c) Certification.--The Administrator may require a
representative of an independent assessment service to
certify the accuracy and completeness of any information
submitted under this section.
``Sec. 3613. Roles and responsibilities of agencies
``(a) In General.--In implementing the requirements of
FedRAMP, the head of each agency shall, consistent with
guidance issued by the Director pursuant to section 3614--
``(1) promote the use of cloud computing products and
services that meet FedRAMP security requirements and other
risk-based performance requirements as determined by
[[Page H8288]]
the Director, in consultation with the Secretary;
``(2) confirm whether there is a FedRAMP authorization in
the secure mechanism provided under section 3609(a)(8) before
beginning the process of granting a FedRAMP authorization for
a cloud computing product or service;
``(3) to the extent practicable, for any cloud computing
product or service the agency seeks to authorize that has
received a FedRAMP authorization, use the existing
assessments of security controls and materials within any
FedRAMP authorization package for that cloud computing
product or service; and
``(4) provide to the Director data and information required
by the Director pursuant to section 3614 to determine how
agencies are meeting metrics established by the
Administrator.
``(b) Attestation.--Upon completing an assessment or
authorization activity with respect to a particular cloud
computing product or service, if an agency determines that
the information and data the agency has reviewed under
paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (a) is wholly or
substantially deficient for the purposes of performing an
authorization of the cloud computing product or service, the
head of the agency shall document as part of the resulting
FedRAMP authorization package the reasons for this
determination.
``(c) Submission of Authorizations to Operate Required.--
Upon issuance of an agency authorization to operate based on
a FedRAMP authorization, the head of the agency shall provide
a copy of its authorization to operate letter and any
supplementary information required pursuant to section
3609(a) to the Administrator.
``(d) Submission of Policies Required.--Not later than 180
days after the date on which the Director issues guidance in
accordance with section 3614(1), the head of each agency,
acting through the chief information officer of the agency,
shall submit to the Director all agency policies relating to
the authorization of cloud computing products and services.
``(e) Presumption of Adequacy.--
``(1) In general.--The assessment of security controls and
materials within the authorization package for a FedRAMP
authorization shall be presumed adequate for use in an agency
authorization to operate cloud computing products and
services.
``(2) Information security requirements.--The presumption
under paragraph (1) does not modify or alter--
``(A) the responsibility of any agency to ensure compliance
with subchapter II of chapter 35 for any cloud computing
product or service used by the agency; or
``(B) the authority of the head of any agency to make a
determination that there is a demonstrable need for
additional security requirements beyond the security
requirements included in a FedRAMP authorization for a
particular control implementation.
``Sec. 3614. Roles and responsibilities of the Office of
Management and Budget
``The Director shall--
``(1) in consultation with the Administrator and the
Secretary, issue guidance that--
``(A) specifies the categories or characteristics of cloud
computing products and services that are within the scope of
FedRAMP;
``(B) includes requirements for agencies to obtain a
FedRAMP authorization when operating a cloud computing
product or service described in subparagraph (A) as a Federal
information system; and
``(C) encompasses, to the greatest extent practicable, all
necessary and appropriate cloud computing products and
services;
``(2) issue guidance describing additional responsibilities
of FedRAMP and the FedRAMP Board to accelerate the adoption
of secure cloud computing products and services by the
Federal Government;
``(3) in consultation with the Administrator, establish a
process to periodically review FedRAMP authorization packages
to support the secure authorization and reuse of secure cloud
products and services;
``(4) oversee the effectiveness of FedRAMP and the FedRAMP
Board, including the compliance by the FedRAMP Board with the
duties described in section 3610(d); and
``(5) to the greatest extent practicable, encourage and
promote consistency of the assessment, authorization,
adoption, and use of secure cloud computing products and
services within and across agencies.
``Sec. 3615. Reports to Congress; GAO report
``(a) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter,
the Director shall submit to the appropriate congressional
committees a report that includes the following:
``(1) During the preceding year, the status, efficiency,
and effectiveness of the General Services Administration
under section 3609 and agencies under section 3613 and in
supporting the speed, effectiveness, sharing, reuse, and
security of authorizations to operate for secure cloud
computing products and services.
``(2) Progress towards meeting the metrics required under
section 3609(d).
``(3) Data on FedRAMP authorizations.
``(4) The average length of time to issue FedRAMP
authorizations.
``(5) The number of FedRAMP authorizations submitted,
issued, and denied for the preceding year.
``(6) A review of progress made during the preceding year
in advancing automation techniques to securely automate
FedRAMP processes and to accelerate reporting under this
section.
``(7) The number and characteristics of authorized cloud
computing products and services in use at each agency
consistent with guidance provided by the Director under
section 3614.
``(8) A review of FedRAMP measures to ensure the security
of data stored or processed by cloud service providers, which
may include--
``(A) geolocation restrictions for provided products or
services;
``(B) disclosures of foreign elements of supply chains of
acquired products or services;
``(C) continued disclosures of ownership of cloud service
providers by foreign entities; and
``(D) encryption for data processed, stored, or transmitted
by cloud service providers.
``(b) GAO Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall report to the appropriate congressional
committees an assessment of the following:
``(1) The costs incurred by agencies and cloud service
providers relating to the issuance of FedRAMP authorizations.
``(2) The extent to which agencies have processes in place
to continuously monitor the implementation of cloud computing
products and services operating as Federal information
systems.
``(3) How often and for which categories of products and
services agencies use FedRAMP authorizations.
``(4) The unique costs and potential burdens incurred by
cloud computing companies that are small business concerns
(as defined in section 3(a) of the Small Business Act (15
U.S.C. 632(a)) as a part of the FedRAMP authorization
process.
``Sec. 3616. Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee
``(a) Establishment, Purposes, and Duties.--
``(1) Establishment.--There is established a Federal Secure
Cloud Advisory Committee (referred to in this section as the
`Committee') to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of
agency adoption, use, authorization, monitoring, acquisition,
and security of cloud computing products and services to
enable agency mission and administrative priorities.
``(2) Purposes.--The purposes of the Committee are the
following:
``(A) To examine the operations of FedRAMP and determine
ways that authorization processes can continuously be
improved, including the following:
``(i) Measures to increase agency reuse of FedRAMP
authorizations.
``(ii) Proposed actions that can be adopted to reduce the
burden, confusion, and cost associated with FedRAMP
authorizations for cloud service providers.
``(iii) Measures to increase the number of FedRAMP
authorizations for cloud computing products and services
offered by small businesses concerns (as defined by section
3(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632(a)).
``(iv) Proposed actions that can be adopted to reduce the
burden and cost of FedRAMP authorizations for agencies.
``(B) Collect information and feedback on agency compliance
with and implementation of FedRAMP requirements.
``(C) Serve as a forum that facilitates communication and
collaboration among the FedRAMP stakeholder community.
``(3) Duties.--The duties of the Committee include
providing advice and recommendations to the Administrator,
the FedRAMP Board, and agencies on technical, financial,
programmatic, and operational matters regarding secure
adoption of cloud computing products and services.
``(b) Members.--
``(1) Composition.--The Committee shall be comprised of not
more than 15 members who are qualified representatives from
the public and private sectors, appointed by the
Administrator, in consultation with the Director, as follows:
``(A) The Administrator or the Administrator's designee,
who shall be the Chair of the Committee.
``(B) At least 1 representative each from the Cybersecurity
and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Institute
of Standards and Technology.
``(C) At least 2 officials who serve as the Chief
Information Security Officer within an agency, who shall be
required to maintain such a position throughout the duration
of their service on the Committee.
``(D) At least 1 official serving as Chief Procurement
Officer (or equivalent) in an agency, who shall be required
to maintain such a position throughout the duration of their
service on the Committee.
``(E) At least 1 individual representing an independent
assessment service.
``(F) At least 5 representatives from unique businesses
that primarily provide cloud computing services or products,
including at least 2 representatives from a small business
concern (as defined by section 3(a) of the Small Business Act
(15 U.S.C. 632(a))).
``(G) At least 2 other representatives of the Federal
Government as the Administrator determines necessary to
provide sufficient balance, insights, or expertise to the
Committee.
``(2) Deadline for appointment.--Each member of the
Committee shall be appointed not later than 90 days after the
date of enactment of this section.
[[Page H8289]]
``(3) Period of appointment; vacancies.--
``(A) In general.--Each non-Federal member of the Committee
shall be appointed for a term of 3 years, except that the
initial terms for members may be staggered 1-, 2-, or 3-year
terms to establish a rotation in which one-third of the
members are selected each year. Any such member may be
appointed for not more than 2 consecutive terms.
``(B) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the Committee shall not
affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same manner in
which the original appointment was made. Any member appointed
to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term
for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be
appointed only for the remainder of that term. A member may
serve after the expiration of that member's term until a
successor has taken office.
``(c) Meetings and Rules of Procedures.--
``(1) Meetings.--The Committee shall hold not fewer than 3
meetings in a calendar year, at such time and place as
determined by the Chair.
``(2) Initial meeting.--Not later than 120 days after the
date of enactment of this section, the Committee shall meet
and begin the operations of the Committee.
``(3) Rules of procedure.--The Committee may establish
rules for the conduct of the business of the Committee if
such rules are not inconsistent with this section or other
applicable law.
``(d) Employee Status.--
``(1) In general.--A member of the Committee (other than a
member who is appointed to the Committee in connection with
another Federal appointment) shall not be considered an
employee of the Federal Government by reason of any service
as such a member, except for the purposes of section 5703 of
title 5, relating to travel expenses.
``(2) Pay not permitted.--A member of the Committee covered
by paragraph (1) may not receive pay by reason of service on
the Committee.
``(e) Applicability to the Federal Advisory Committee
Act.--Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Committee.
``(f) Detail of Employees.--Any Federal Government employee
may be detailed to the Committee without reimbursement from
the Committee, and such detailee shall retain the rights,
status, and privileges of his or her regular employment
without interruption.
``(g) Postal Services.--The Committee may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions
as agencies.
``(h) Reports.--
``(1) Interim reports.--The Committee may submit to the
Administrator and Congress interim reports containing such
findings, conclusions, and recommendations as have been
agreed to by the Committee.
``(2) Annual reports.--Not later than 540 days after the
date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter,
the Committee shall submit to the Administrator and Congress
a report containing such findings, conclusions, and
recommendations as have been agreed to by the Committee.''.
(b) Technical and Conforming Amendment.--The table of
sections for chapter 36 of title 44, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new items:
``3607. Definitions.
``3608. Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program.
``3609. Roles and responsibilities of the General Services
Administration.
``3610. FedRAMP Board.
``3611. Independent assessment.
``3612. Declaration of foreign interests.
``3613. Roles and responsibilities of agencies.
``3614. Roles and responsibilities of the Office of Management and
Budget.
``3615. Reports to Congress; GAO report.
``3616. Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee.''.
(c) Sunset.--
(1) In general.--Effective on the date that is 5 years
after the date of enactment of this Act, chapter 36 of title
44, United States Code, is amended by striking sections 3607
through 3616.
(2) Conforming amendment.--Effective on the date that is 5
years after the date of enactment of this Act, the table of
sections for chapter 36 of title 44, United States Code, is
amended by striking the items relating to sections 3607
through 3616.
(d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section or any
amendment made by this section shall be construed as altering
or impairing the authorities of the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget or the Secretary of Homeland Security
under subchapter II of chapter 35 of title 44, United States
Code.
Solid Start Act of 2022
S. 1198
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Solid Start Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. SOLID START PROGRAM OF THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS.
(a) In General.--Chapter 63 of title 38, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new
subchapter:
``SUBCHAPTER II--OTHER OUTREACH PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
``Sec. 6320. Solid Start program
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a program,
to be known as the `Solid Start program', under which the
Secretary shall--
``(1) build the capacity of the Department to efficiently
and effectively respond to the queries and needs of veterans
who have recently separated from the Armed Forces; and
``(2) systemically integrate and coordinate efforts to
assist veterans, including efforts--
``(A) to proactively reach out to newly separated veterans
to inform them of their eligibility for programs of and
benefits provided by the Department; and
``(B) to connect veterans in crisis to resources that
address their immediate needs.
``(b) Activities of the Solid Start Program.--(1) The
Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense,
shall carry out the Solid Start program of the Department
by--
``(A) collecting up-to-date contact information during
transition classes or separation counseling for all members
of the Armed Forces who are separating from the Armed Forces,
while explaining the existence and purpose of the Solid Start
program;
``(B) calling each veteran, regardless of separation type
or characterization of service, three times within the first
year after separation of the veteran from the Armed Forces;
``(C) providing information about the Solid Start program
on the website of the Department and in materials of the
Department, especially transition booklets and other
resources;
``(D) ensuring calls are truly tailored to the needs of
each veteran's unique situation by conducting quality
assurance tests;
``(E) prioritizing outreach to veterans who have accessed
mental health resources prior to separation from the Armed
Forces;
``(F) providing women veterans with information that is
tailored to their specific health care and benefit needs;
``(G) as feasible, providing information on access to State
and local resources, including Vet Centers and veterans
service organizations; and
``(H) gathering and analyzing data assessing the
effectiveness of the Solid Start program.
``(2) The Secretary, in coordination with the Secretary of
Defense, may carry out the Solid Start program by--
``(A) encouraging members of the Armed Forces who are
transitioning to civilian life to authorize alternate points
of contact who can be reached should the member be
unavailable during the first year following the separation of
the member from the Armed Forces; and
``(B) following up missed phone calls with tailored
mailings to ensure the veteran still receives similar
information.
``(3) In this subsection:
``(A) The term `Vet Center' has the meaning given that term
in section 1712A(h) of this title.
``(B) The term `veterans service organization' means an
organization recognized by the Secretary for the
representation of veterans under section 5902 of this
title.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Chapter 63 of such title, as
amended by subsection (a), is further amended--
(1) by inserting before section 6301 the following:
``Subchapter I--Outreach Services Program'';
and
(2) in sections 6301, 6303, 6304, 6305, 6306, and 6307, by
striking ``this chapter'' each place it appears and inserting
``this subchapter''.
(c) Clerical Amendments.--The table of sections at the
beginning of chapter 63 of such title is amended--
(1) by inserting before the item relating to section 6301
the following new item:
``subchapter i--outreach services program'';
and
(2) by adding at the end the following new items:
``subchapter ii--other outreach programs and activities
``6320. Solid Start program.''.
Small Project Efficient and Effective Disaster Recovery Act
Senate amendments to H.R. 5641:
=========================== NOTE ===========================
September 29, 2022, on page H8289, in the third column, the
following appeared: SMALL PROJECT EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE DISASTER
RECOVERY ACT (1)On page 2, line 13, strike [``AND RE
The online version has been corrected to read: SMALL PROJECT
EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE DISASTER RECOVERY ACT Senate amendments to
H.R. 5641: (1)On page 2, line 13, strike [``AND RE
========================= END NOTE =========================
(1)On page 2, line 13, strike [``AND REPORT'' after
``REVIEW''] and insert ``and Report'' after
``Review''.
(2)On page 3, after line 3, insert:
SEC. 3. AUDIT AND REVIEW.
Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland
Security shall conduct an audit, and submit to Congress a
report, on whether there has been waste and abuse as a result
of the amendment made under section 2(a)(1).
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 10 of House Resolution
1396, the ordering of the yeas and nays on postponed motions to suspend
the rules with respect to such measures is vacated to the end that all
such motions are considered as withdrawn.
The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Maryland
(Mr. Hoyer) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bills and
concur in the Senate amendments.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
[[Page H8290]]
Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
This is a 5-minute vote.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 296,
nays 127, not voting 9, as follows:
[Roll No. 473]
YEAS--296
Adams
Aguilar
Allred
Armstrong
Auchincloss
Axne
Barr
Barragan
Bass
Beatty
Bera
Beyer
Bice (OK)
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Bonamici
Bost
Bourdeaux
Bowman
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brown (MD)
Brown (OH)
Brownley
Budd
Bush
Bustos
Butterfield
Calvert
Carbajal
Cardenas
Carson
Carter (GA)
Carter (LA)
Carter (TX)
Cartwright
Case
Casten
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Cherfilus-McCormick
Chu
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Cole
Connolly
Cooper
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Craig
Crawford
Crenshaw
Crow
Cuellar
Davids (KS)
Davis, Rodney
Dean
DeFazio
DeGette
DeLauro
DelBene
Demings
DeSaulnier
DesJarlais
Deutch
Diaz-Balart
Dingell
Doggett
Doyle, Michael F.
Dunn
Emmer
Escobar
Eshoo
Espaillat
Evans
Ferguson
Finstad
Fischbach
Fitzgerald
Fitzpatrick
Fletcher
Flood
Flores
Foster
Frankel, Lois
Gallagher
Gallego
Garamendi
Garbarino
Garcia (CA)
Garcia (IL)
Garcia (TX)
Gimenez
Golden
Gomez
Gonzalez (OH)
Gonzalez, Vicente
Gottheimer
Granger
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Green, Al (TX)
Grijalva
Guthrie
Harder (CA)
Hartzler
Hayes
Herrell
Higgins (NY)
Hill
Himes
Hinson
Horsford
Houlahan
Hoyer
Hudson
Huffman
Huizenga
Issa
Jackson Lee
Jacobs (CA)
Jacobs (NY)
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (SD)
Johnson (TX)
Jones
Joyce (OH)
Kahele
Kaptur
Katko
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Khanna
Kildee
Kilmer
Kim (CA)
Kim (NJ)
Kind
Kirkpatrick
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster
Lamb
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lawson (FL)
Lee (CA)
Lee (NV)
Leger Fernandez
Letlow
Levin (CA)
Levin (MI)
Lieu
Lofgren
Long
Lowenthal
Luria
Lynch
Mace
Malinowski
Malliotakis
Maloney, Carolyn B.
Maloney, Sean
Manning
Matsui
McBath
McCarthy
McCaul
McClain
McClintock
McCollum
McEachin
McGovern
McHenry
McNerney
Meeks
Meijer
Meng
Mfume
Miller-Meeks
Moore (UT)
Moore (WI)
Morelle
Moulton
Mrvan
Murphy (FL)
Napolitano
Neal
Neguse
Newhouse
Newman
Norcross
O'Halleran
Obernolte
Ocasio-Cortez
Omar
Owens
Pallone
Palmer
Panetta
Pappas
Pascrell
Payne
Peltola
Perlmutter
Peters
Phillips
Pingree
Pocan
Porter
Pressley
Price (NC)
Quigley
Raskin
Reschenthaler
Rice (NY)
Rodgers (WA)
Rogers (KY)
Ross
Rouzer
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (NY)
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez
Sarbanes
Scalise
Scanlon
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schrader
Schrier
Scott (VA)
Scott, Austin
Scott, David
Sewell
Sherman
Sherrill
Sires
Slotkin
Smith (MO)
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Smucker
Soto
Spanberger
Speier
Stansbury
Stanton
Stauber
Steel
Stefanik
Steil
Stevens
Strickland
Suozzi
Swalwell
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Timmons
Titus
Tlaib
Tonko
Torres (NY)
Trahan
Trone
Turner
Underwood
Upton
Valadao
Vargas
Veasey
Velazquez
Wagner
Wasserman Schultz
Waters
Watson Coleman
Welch
Westerman
Wexton
Wild
Williams (GA)
Wilson (FL)
Womack
NAYS--127
Aderholt
Allen
Amodei
Arrington
Babin
Bacon
Baird
Balderson
Banks
Bentz
Bergman
Biggs
Bilirakis
Bishop (NC)
Boebert
Brady
Brooks
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Burchett
Burgess
Cammack
Carey
Carl
Cawthorn
Chabot
Cline
Cloud
Clyde
Comer
Conway
Curtis
Davidson
Donalds
Duncan
Ellzey
Estes
Fallon
Feenstra
Fleischmann
Foxx
Franklin, C. Scott
Fulcher
Gaetz
Gibbs
Gohmert
Gonzales, Tony
Good (VA)
Gooden (TX)
Gosar
Green (TN)
Greene (GA)
Griffith
Grothman
Guest
Harris
Harshbarger
Hern
Herrera Beutler
Hice (GA)
Higgins (LA)
Jackson
Johnson (OH)
Jordan
Joyce (PA)
Keller
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
Kustoff
LaHood
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Latta
LaTurner
Lesko
Loudermilk
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Mann
Massie
Mast
McKinley
Meuser
Miller (IL)
Miller (WV)
Moolenaar
Mooney
Moore (AL)
Mullin
Murphy (NC)
Nehls
Norman
Palazzo
Pence
Perry
Pfluger
Posey
Rice (SC)
Rogers (AL)
Rose
Rosendale
Roy
Rutherford
Salazar
Schweikert
Sempolinski
Sessions
Simpson
Smith (NE)
Spartz
Steube
Stewart
Taylor
Tenney
Thompson (PA)
Tiffany
Van Drew
Van Duyne
Walberg
Waltz
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Williams (TX)
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
NOT VOTING--9
Cheney
Davis, Danny K.
Hollingsworth
Johnson (GA)
Kinzinger
Nadler
Torres (CA)
Yarmuth
Zeldin
{time} 1727
Mr. KUSTOFF changed his vote from ``yea'' to ``nay.''
Ms. WATERS changed her vote from ``nay'' to ``yea.''
So (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended,
the bills were passed, and the Senate amendments were agreed to.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
September 29, 2022, on page H8290, in the second column, the
following appeared: were passed, and the Senate amendment was
agreed to.
The online version has been corrected to read: were passed, and
the Senate amendments were agreed to.
========================= END NOTE =========================
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
The title of H.R. 4821 was amended so as to read: ``A bill to hold
accountable senior officials of the Government of the People's Republic
of China who are responsible for or have directly carried out, at any
time, persecution of Christians or other religious minorities in China,
and for other purposes.''.
The title of H.R. 6889 was amended so as to read: ``A bill to amend
the Federal Credit Union Act to modify the frequency of board of
directors meetings, and for other purposes.''.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress
Bacon (Hartzler)
Beatty (Cicilline)
Bilirakis (Fleischmann)
Bowman (Tlaib)
Brooks (Fleischmann)
Buchanan (Bucshon)
Carter (TX) (Weber (TX))
Cawthorn (Gohmert)
Cherfilus-McCormick (Neguse)
Chu (Beyer)
Cleaver (Adams)
Conway (LaMalfa)
DeFazio (Pallone)
Demings (Dean)
Diaz-Balart
(Reschenthaler)
Dunn (Cammack)
Evans (Beyer)
Gallego (Correa)
Garcia (TX) (Escobar)
Gimenez (Malliotakis)
Gonzalez, Vicente (Correa)
Gosar (Weber (TX))
Herrera Beutler (Meijer)
Horsford (Garamendi)
Jackson Lee (Cicilline)
Jacobs (NY) (Sempolinski)
Jayapal (Cicilline)
Johnson (TX) (Stevens)
Kelly (IL) (Cicilline)
Kirkpatrick (Pallone)
Lawson (FL) (Stevens)
Lynch (Trahan)
Mace (Nehls)
Mast (Waltz)
McEachin (Beyer)
Meng (Escobar)
Murphy (FL) (Peters)
Newman (Beyer)
Ocasio-Cortez (Neguse)
Palazzo (Fleischmann)
Payne (Pallone)
Pfluger (Ellzey)
Porter (Neguse)
Rice (NY) (Morelle)
Rice (SC) (Meijer)
Rush (Beyer)
Ryan (OH) (Correa)
Salazar (Waltz)
Sewell (Cicilline)
Sherman (Garamendi)
Simpson (Fulcher)
Soto (Escobar)
Speier (Garamendi)
Steel (Obernolte)
Steube
(Reschenthaler)
Torres (NY) (Correa)
Vargas (Garamendi)
Wasserman Schultz (Schneider)
Waters (Takano)
Wilson (SC) (Norman)
____________________