The Latest: A Weekly Federal Update (04/25/22)
Upcoming Events & Activities
April 25th, 2021 - April 29th, 2022
All events in Eastern Standard Time
Monday, April 25th
No events to report.
Tuesday, April 26th
6:00 PM - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: Meeting on Cameron LNG Amended Expansion Project
Wednesday, April 27th
10:00 AM - House Small Business Committee: Hearing on "Small Business Administration's FY2023 Budget"
10:00 AM - House Appropriations Committee: Hearing on "FY2023 Request for the Department of Homeland Security"
10:15 AM - House Energy & Commerce Committee: Hearing on "FY2023 HHS Budget"
2:00 PM - House Homeland Security Committee: Hearing on "A Review of the FY2023 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security"
Thursday, April 28th
9:00 AM - House Appropriations Committee: Hearing on "FY2023 Budget Request for the U.S. Department of the Interior"
10:00 AM - House Energy & Commerce Committee: Hearing on "FY2023 DOE Budget"
2:30 PM - House Appropriations Committee: Hearing on "FY2023 Budget Request for the Department of Energy"
Friday, April 29th
9:00 AM - House Appropriations Committee: Hearing on "FY2023 Budget Request for the Environmental Protection Agency"
Energy, Water & Environment
The latest from the House and Senate Committees on energy (infrastructure), WIFIA, wastewater management, environmental issues, interior, or environmental justice.
Legislation
H.R. 7550 - Oil & Gas Industry Antitrust Act, To direct the Federal Trade Commission to conduct an investigation and submit to Congress a report on gasoline prices
Sponsor: Rep. Val Butler Demings (D-FL-10) referred to Energy & Commerce Committee; Judiciary Committee
Date Introduced: April 21, 2022
News
MarketWatch: Biden's Climate Envoy Kerry Gives Natural Gas a 10yr Expiration Date
President Biden’s climate envoy, John Kerry, says he’s putting the natural gas industry “on notice,” suggesting it has a decade at most to solve for the emissions that are driving Earth’s temperature dangerously higher. “We have to put the industry on notice: You’ve got six years, eight years, no more than 10 years or so, within which you’ve got to come up with a means by which you’re going to capture, and if you’re not capturing, then we have to deploy alternative sources of energy,” the one-time presidential candidate said, despite the fact that natural gas produces about 50% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than coal when burned to generate electricity.
Politico: EPA Publishes White Paper on Natural Gas Pollution Reduction Options
On April 21st, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency floated a draft white paper on available technologies and control methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from newly built natural gas-fired power plants. The white paper includes an overview of available efficiency technologies that reduce heat rates, reducing fuel usage and thus decreasing emissions. It also examines carbon capture technologies and the possibility of burning hydrogen as a gas alternative — although how the hydrogen is made plays a key role in whether it reduces overall emissions. The paper also reviews the climate impact of various types of fuel, including methane, biogas and industrial byproduct fuels. While it does not set new policy, it could inform future rulemaking efforts. EPA is receiving comments here until June 6th.
Transportation & Infrastructure
The latest from the House and Senate Committees on industrial and commercial mechanical insulation, cybersecurity, supply chains, port authority, metropolitan transit, or airports.
Legislation
H.R. 7480 - Securing Americans from Transportation Insanity Act, To prohibit the Transportation Security Administration from modifying Standard Operating Procedures to remove biologically determined sex-based screening procedures from security screening
Sponsor: Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO-03) referred to Homeland Security Committee
Date Introduced: April 21, 2022
News
Politico: FAA Makes Permanent Its Zero-Tolerance Policy on Unruly Passengers
On April 19th, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it's making its zero-tolerance policy permanent, even though the Federal mandate requiring mask-wearing on board commercial airplanes has gone away. The FAA unveiled the program in January 2021 amid a spate of behavior on board airplanes, including assaulting flight crew and disrupting flights. Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen said the policy helps curb “unsafe behavior” in the skies while the FAA continues to make “progress to prevent and punish this behavior.”
Immigration & Detention
The latest from the House and Senate Committee on immigration, detention, homeland security, border security, asylum seekers, criminal justice reform, Intensive Supervision Appearance Program (ISAP), U.S. Marshal Service (USMS), alternatives to detention programming, reentry programming, or Bureau of Prisons.
Legislation
H.R. 7560 - Sexual Harassment Independent Investigations & Prosecution Act, To provide for independent investigation and prosecution of sexual harassment under the Uniform Code of Military Justice
Sponsor: Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA-14) referred to Armed Services Committee
Date Introduced: April 21, 2022
News
Reuters: Mexican Officials Worry About the Termination of Title 42
Mexican officials are concerned the repeal of a measure adopted under the Trump administration to tighten the U.S. border will encourage a spike in migration and more profits for criminal gangs unless Washington does more to help mitigate the impact. "The flow of migrants we have now is already out of control," said Rosa Maria Gonzalez, a lawmaker from the center-right opposition National Action Party representing the northern border state of Tamaulipas, who heads the lower house of UMS Congress migration committee. Unless the U.S. government steps up repatriation flights of migrants apprehended at the border, Title 42's repeal could be an "enormous incentive" to cross, and create opportunities for organized crime, a second Mexican official said.
Public Health & Safety
The latest from House and Senate committees on health insurance, COVID-19 and testing, gun safety, Medicare & Medicaid, telehealth, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), CDC, FDA, or rural hospitals.
Legislation
H.R. 7533, To amend the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 to provide that recipients of crime victim assistance grants shall prioritize programs that provide assistance to victims of firearm violence or the family members of victims of homicide
Sponsor: Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX-15) referred to Judiciary Committee
Date Introduced: April 18, 2022
H.R. 7539 - Indian Health Service Health Professions Tax Fairness Act, To exclude from gross income payments under the Indian Health Service Loan Repayment Program and certain amounts received under the Indian Health Professions Scholarships Program
Sponsor: Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI-04) referred to Ways & Means
Date Introduced: April 18, 2022
H.R. 7541 - STOP Violence Act, To amend the Homeland Security Act of 2002 and the Victims of Crimes Act of 1984 to authorize the use of certain grant funds for active shooter preparedness
Sponsor: Rep. Jose Neguse (D-CO-02) referred to Judiciary Committee
Date Introduced: April 18, 2022
H.R. 7544, To provide a private right of action against the maker of any component of a ghost fun, and any person who facilitated a sale of the ghost gun, for injury or death resulting from the use of the ghost gun
Sponsor: Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY-15) referred to Judiciary Committee
Date Introduced: April 18, 2022
News
Yahoo News: TX Hospitals Prepare for Uninsured Covid Patients as Federal Funds End
More than $3 billion in federal money has flowed to Texas health care providers in recent months to help pay for COVID-19 treatments, tests and vaccines for patients without health insurance, according to national health officials--which has proved critical for small rural hospitals to stay afloat when in some cases 1 in 3 residents are uninsured. Now, after sending some $19 billion to hospitals and other health care providers nationwide, the fund known as the Health Resources and Services Administration COVID-19 Uninsured Program has dried up. The failure to renew the program in time to continue reimbursing providers means that hospitals, clinics, private practices and others that don’t get public health funding from the state will have to “eat the cost” if they don’t charge for COVID-related services.
Finance & Federal Partnerships
The latest from House and Senate committees on taxation, retirement, small business, federal contracting, or monetary policy.
Legislation
H.R. 7535, To encourage the migration of Federal Government information technology systems to quantum-resistant cryptography
Sponsor: Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA-17) referred to Oversight & Reform Committee
Date Introduced: April 18, 2022
H.R. 7536 - Civic Duty to Vote Act, To require each eligible citizen to appear to vote in each regularly scheduled general election for Federal office
Sponsor: Rep. John Larson (D-CT-01) referred to House Administration Committee
Date Introduced: April 18, 2022
H.R. 7547 - SPACE Tax Act, To impose excise taxes on passenger space travel
Sponsor: Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR-03) referred to Ways & Means Committee
Date Introduced: April 21, 2022
Notices of Funding Opportunities
Aviation Grants: Airport Improvement Program
The Federal Aviation Administration is accepting applications for approximately $1.5 billion in FY2022 discretionary grants from April 20th until June 30th. For further information, contact David Cushing, Manager, Airports Financial Assistance Division, APP-500, at (202)267-8827. Eligible projects include those improvements related to enhancing airport safety, capacity, security, and environmental concerns.
Aviation Grants: FAA Contract Tower (FCT) Competitive Grant Program (via IIJA)
The Federal Aviation Administration is accepting applications for approximately $20 million in FY2022 Airport Infrastructure Grant funds from April 20th until May 16th. For further information, contact Robin Hunt, BIL Implementation Team, FAA Office of Airports, at (202)267-3263, or at
9-ARP-BILAirports@faa.gov. The purpose of the FCT Competitive Grant Program is to make annual grants available to eligible airports for airport-owned airport traffic control tower (ATCT) projects that address the aging infrastructure of the nation's airports.
Healthcare Grants: IHS Alzheimer's Grant Program
The Indian Health Service is accepting applications for cooperative agreements for Addressing Dementia in Indian Country for approximately $1 million (with individual award amounts for the first budget year to be between $100,000 and $200,000) from April 18th to July 18th. The period of performance is for 2 years; The IHS does not require matching funds or cost sharing for grants or cooperative agreements. For help with the application process, contact Mr. Paul Gettys at (301)443-2114 or (301)443-5204).
Special Reports
The latest from reports issued from the Office of Government Accountability, the Congressional Research Service, and others.
CRS: April 21, 2022 - Year-Round Sale of E15
CRS: April 19, 2022 - Gasoline Price Increases: Federal & State Authority to Limit "Price Gouging"
CRS: April 18, 2022 - Public Transportation Face Post-Pandemic Challenges
GAO: April 20, 2022 - CBP Should Improve Data Collection, Reporting, & Evaluation for the Missing Migrant Program
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