This Senate resolution (SRES 656) designates May 2022 as "Older Americans Month" to honor and recognize older adults across the United States. It does not create new laws or programs but encourages the public to acknowledge the contributions of seniors, including their leadership, experience, and ongoing roles in communities through volunteer work, mentorship, and civic engagement. The resolution highlights demographic trends, such as over 55 million Americans aged 65+ in 2021, and references existing support systems like Medicare and the Older Americans Act. It directly affects all older Americans by promoting public recognition of their societal value.
This resolution expresses gratitude to Qatar for its support for Operation Allies Refuge, which evacuated U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, allies, and partners from Afghanistan.
Domestic Terrorism Prevention Act of 2022 This bill establishes new requirements to expand the availability of information on domestic terrorism, as well as the relationship between domestic terrorism and hate crimes. It authorizes domestic terrorism components within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to monitor, analyze, investigate, and prosecute domestic terrorism. The domestic terrorism components of DHS, DOJ, and the FBI must jointly report on domestic terrorism, including white-supremacist-related incidents or attempted incidents. DHS, DOJ, and the FBI must review the anti-terrorism training and resource programs of their agencies that are provided to federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies. Additionally, DOJ must make training on prosecuting domestic terrorism available to its prosecutors and to assistant U.S. attorneys. It creates an interagency task force to analyze and combat white supremacist and neo-Nazi infiltration of the uniformed services and federal law enforcement agencies. Finally, it directs the FBI to assign a special agent or hate crimes liaison to each field office to investigate hate crimes incidents with a nexus to domestic terrorism.
Relief for Restaurants and other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022 This bill addresses support for restaurants, arts and entertainment venues, and small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill provides an additional $42 billion in FY2021 for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and gives priority to previous applicants who have not received a grant. The Small Business Administration (SBA) must provide to applicants an explanation for denied applications, establish a reconsideration process for denied applications, and institute an audit and oversight plan with respect to grant recipients. Additionally, the bill establishes the Hard Hit Industries Award Program for small businesses that suffered a pandemic-related revenue loss of 40% or more. Aggregate grant amounts are capped at $1 million. Funds may be used for expenses including mortgage, rent, and utility payments and payroll. SBA must prioritize entities that have experienced significant pandemic-related revenue loss, with first priority going to those that experienced a loss of at least 80%, and second priority going to those that experienced a loss of at least 60%. Finally, the bill extends to March 11, 2023 (or a later date as determined by the SBA), the time frame during which Shuttered Venue Operators Grant recipients may use grant funds to cover their expenses.
Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021 This bill establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties (i.e., unlicensed individuals). Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check. The prohibition does not apply to certain firearm transfers or exchanges, such as a gift between spouses in good faith.
Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021 (Sec. 2) This bill revises background check requirements applicable to proposed firearm transfers from a federal firearms licensee (e.g., a licensed gun dealer) to an unlicensed person. Specifically, it increases the amount of time, from 3 business days to a minimum of 10 business days, that a federal firearms licensee must wait to receive a completed background check prior to transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person. (This type of transaction is often referred to as a default proceed transaction.) If a submitted background check remains incomplete after 10 business days, then the prospective purchaser may submit a petition for a final firearms eligibility determination. If an additional 10 days elapse without a final determination, then the federal firearms licensee may transfer the firearm to the prospective purchaser. (Sec. 3) The Government Accountability Office must report on the extent to which the changes have prevented firearms transfers to prohibited persons. (Sec. 4) The Federal Bureau of Investigation must report on the number of petitions it receives for final federal firearms determinations. (Sec. 5) The Department of Justice, in consultation with the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and Firearms, must report on further amendments to the background check process that would likely reduce the risk of death or great bodily harm to victims of domestic violence, domestic abuse, dating partner violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
SRES 648 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating May 2022 as "National Brain Tumor Awareness Month." It does not create new laws or affect specific individuals, but aims to raise public awareness about brain tumors through official recognition. The resolution cites statistics on brain tumor diagnoses (over 88,000 estimated new cases in 2022), survival rates (35.6% 5-year survival), and their status as a leading cause of cancer death in children and young adults. It encourages public awareness, supports research for better treatments, and honors those affected by brain tumors. This resolution has no direct policy impact but serves as a formal acknowledgment of the disease's significance.
Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2021 This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2026 programs and activities under the Violence Against Women Act that seek to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The bill also authorizes new programs, makes changes to federal firearms laws, and establishes new protections to promote housing stability and economic security for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
Fraud and Scam Reduction Act This bill expands activities to address mail, telephone, and internet fraud, particularly such scams targeting older adults. The bill establishes a Senior Scams Prevention Advisory Group, which must create model educational materials to educate employees of retailers, financial-services companies, and wire-transfer companies on how to identify and prevent scams that affect older adults. Further, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) must establish an advisory office in the Bureau of Consumer Protection to assist the FTC in monitoring scams targeting older adults, educating consumers, and receiving complaints.
SRES 643 is a Senate resolution designating the week of May 15-21, 2022, as "National Police Week" to honor law enforcement officers who serve and sacrifice in their communities. The resolution recognizes the service of law enforcement officers, particularly those killed or injured in the line of duty, and acknowledges their sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic. It expresses support for officers' needs for proper equipment, training, and resources, and encourages the public to observe the week by honoring law enforcement personnel. This designation serves as a formal recognition of law enforcement service without creating new legal requirements or policy changes.
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and expands programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The bill also revises workforce investment, vocational rehabilitation, employment, training, and literacy programs for eligible individuals. For example, the bill increases workforce representation on state and local workforce investment boards from 20% to 30%; reworks one-stop center infrastructure funding by requiring costs to be covered by state allocations of WIOA funds; establishes subsidized youth employment programs that include work-readiness training and mentoring; allows states and localities to partner with educational institutions to address the skill needs for in-demand jobs; establishes grants to connect youth in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence with in-demand jobs; eliminates a requirement that the Department of Labor ensure that individuals participating in WIOA activities comply with Selective Service laws; modifies the allotment of youth workforce investment funds to states; requires Labor to prioritize providing access to certain services to girls and women and applications for assistance from minority-serving institutions; expands the Job Corps program, including by serving individuals in outlying areas and relaxing age requirements; establishes grants to expand training programs through industry or sector partnerships; expands grants for integrated English literacy and civics education to outlying areas; and expands Wagner-Peyser employment services to the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa. The bill also provides statutory authority for Labor to award competitive grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements to improve employment and training outcomes and reduce recidivism of justice-involved youth; and competitive grants for states to create workforce longitudinal administrative databases.
Student Veteran Work Study Modernization Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to expand eligibility for the work-study allowance program to individuals who are pursuing programs of rehabilitation, education, or training at a rate equal to at least half of that required of a full-time student. To offset the cost of the program, the bill extends from January 14, 2031, to January 23, 2031, the end of the period for certain VA housing loan fee rates under the VA home loan program.
