Benjamin Berell Ferencz Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Benjamin Berell Ferencz in recognition of his service to the United States and the international community during the post-World War II Nuremberg trials and his lifelong advocacy for international criminal justice and the rule of law.
Caribbean Basin Security Initiative Authorization Act This bill authorizes the allocation of certain funds for purposes related to the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative, requires the Department of State to develop a strategy for prioritizing efforts to increase disaster response and resilience in the Caribbean, and establishes monitoring and reporting requirements. Funds for carrying out the initiative shall be used for purposes that include (1) promoting citizen safety, security, and the rule of law in the Caribbean; (2) prioritizing efforts to combat corruption; and (3) promoting the rule of law in the Caribbean and countering influence from authoritarian regimes. The State Department shall develop a strategy that incorporates specific, measurable benchmarks demonstrating a prioritization of efforts to increase disaster response and resilience through carrying out specified coordination, resilience, and preparedness programs in beneficiary countries. The State Department must also submit an implementation plan that includes a timeline and stated objectives for such actions to be taken.
Ukraine Religious Freedom Support Act This bill directs the President, when determining whether Russia is a country of particular concern for religious freedom under certain federal laws, to consider incidents occurring in the parts of Ukraine that Russia (or any Russia-affiliated non-state group) occupies, controls, or recognizes as independent. (The United States may take certain actions, such as withdrawing development assistance, against a country of particular concern for religious freedom.)
This resolution congratulates the students, families, teachers, administrators, and staff of public charter schools across the United States for (1) making ongoing contributions to public education, (2) making impressive strides in closing the academic achievement gap in U.S. schools, and (3) improving and strengthening the public school system. The resolution supports the ideals and goals of the 23rd annual National Charter Schools Week.
This resolution expresses that the Senate has heard of the death of the Honorable Orrin G. Hatch, former U.S. Senator for the state of Utah. The resolution also expresses that the Senate honors the life and legacy of the late Senator Hatch for his unwavering dedication to Utah as a Senator and a public servant and accomplishments in legislating with principle and dedication for the good of the people of the United States. The resolution states when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Hatch.
HRES 1091 is a non-binding House resolution calling for Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas to resign immediately. It criticizes the Biden administration's border management policies, citing unapprehended migrants, opioid-related deaths, and opposition to border enforcement measures like Title 42. The resolution lists specific grievances, including halting border wall construction and rescinding the "Remain in Mexico" program, but does not create new laws or policies. As a symbolic resolution, it has no legal effect and does not directly affect any individuals or communities beyond expressing the House's disapproval.
Financial Freedom Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the Department of Labor from limiting the type or range of investments that fiduciaries may offer participants and beneficiaries in certain employer-sponsored retirement plans. The bill applies to certain defined contribution plans that permit participants or beneficiaries to exercise control over the assets in the account, such as a 401(k) plan that allows participants or beneficiaries to select additional investment options through a self-directed brokerage window.
No Timber From Tyrants Act This bill prohibits the importation of wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. It also directs the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to replace these prohibited imports with timber production on certain lands. Specifically, the bill directs the President to prohibit the importation of all wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. The President may terminate this prohibition upon certification to Congress that certain conditions have been met, including that Russia or Belarus (or both, as applicable) reached an agreement to withdraw forces in Ukraine. Additionally, the bill directs Interior and USDA to authorize timber harvest in an amount sufficient to equal the volume, with respect to calendar year 2021, of imports of wood and related articles from Russia and Belarus. Interior may authorize timber harvest only on public lands and USDA may authorize timber harvest only on National Forest System lands. The bill generally prohibits Interior and USDA from approving a plan that reduces the allowable sale quantity of timber.
United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2021 This bill addresses U.S. technology and communications, foreign relations and national security, domestic manufacturing, education, trade, and other matters. Among other provisions, the bill provides funding for FY2022-FY2026 to support U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and supply chain security; provides funding for wireless supply chain innovation; establishes a Directorate for Technology and Innovation in the National Science Foundation; extends through 2025 the authority of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to lease its non-excess real property and related personal property; authorizes various programs and policies related to space exploration; authorizes various international affairs programs and activities, including foreign assistance for the Indo-Pacific region; requires federal infrastructure programs to provide for the use of materials produced in the United States; imposes sanctions on China for cybersecurity and human rights abuses; requires the Department of Health and Human Services to consider national security risks associated with sensitive genetic information; includes initiatives related to elementary and secondary education, including those to increase computer science education; contains provisions related to higher education, including those reauthorizing through FY2027 international education programs and addressing China's influence on institutions of higher education; modifies and expands the schedule for graduated merger filing fees; prohibits federal funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology; requires the U.S. Trade Representative to take certain actions related to digital trade and censorship practices; and extends through 2027 the Generalized System of Preferences.
This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to establish or operate a Disinformation Governance Board under the Department of Homeland Security. It directly affects the Department of Homeland Security by blocking funding for this specific board, preventing its creation or activities. The measure restricts how existing federal appropriations can be applied, without altering other funding mechanisms.
Protecting Free Speech Act This bill terminates the Disinformation Governance Board of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and prohibits using DHS funding for the activities of any other entity that is substantially similar to the board.
This resolution (HRES 1072) designates April 30, 2022, as "National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day" to raise public attention. It does not create new laws or policies but symbolically supports efforts to address hepatitis B, which affects millions in the U.S. and has serious health risks like liver cancer. The resolution encourages increased adult vaccination (currently at 30% coverage), testing, and linkage to care, particularly for high-risk groups including people with opioid use disorder and communities disproportionately impacted by the disease. It highlights that hepatitis B is highly infectious and often undiagnosed, with rising cases linked to the opioid epidemic in several states.
