See UNdisclosed Legal Interpretations and Get Honest Transparency Act of 2022 or the SUNLIGHT Act of 2022 This bill generally requires that each final opinion issued by the Office of Legal Counsel be made publicly available within a specified time frame.
African-American Burial Grounds Preservation Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish the United States African-American Burial Grounds Preservation Program within the National Park Service (NPS). In carrying out the program, Interior may make grants to other federal agencies; state, local, and tribal governments; other public entities; educational institutions; historic preservation groups; and private nonprofit organizations for the identification of historic African-American burial grounds, the preservation and restoration of African-American burial grounds, the interpretation of African-American burial grounds, and related research and documentation for historic African-American burial grounds.
National Discovery Trails Act This bill amends the National Trails System Act to include national discovery trails as part of the national trails system. Such trails (1) shall be extended, continuous, interstate trails located to provide for outstanding outdoor recreation and travel and to connect representative examples of America's trails and communities; (2) shall provide for the conservation and enjoyment of significant natural, cultural, and historic resources and be so located as to represent metropolitan, urban, rural, and back country regions of the Nation; and (3) may be designated on federal lands and, with the owner's consent, on nonfederal lands. The 6,000-mile American Discovery Trail extending from Cape Henlopen State Park in Delaware, to Point Reyes National Seashore in California, splitting into northern and southern routes near Cincinnati, Ohio, and rejoining at Denver, Colorado, is designated as a national discovery trail. The bill sets forth requirements for designation of a trail as a national discovery trail. The appropriate federal department for each national discovery trail shall (1) administer the trail in cooperation with at least one competent trailwide volunteer-based organization; and (2) submit a comprehensive plan for the trail's protection, management, development, and use.
Clean Energy Minerals Reform Act of 2022 This bill addresses mineral leasing, exploration, and development on federal land. For example, the bill prohibits the issuance of a patent for certain mining or millsite claims; establishes a permitting and leasing system for hardrock mining; establishes a 12.5% royalty on new mining operations and an 8% royalty on existing operations, with an exemption for small miners; protects special places, such as wilderness study areas, roadless areas, and wild and scenic rivers, from hardrock mining activity; requires consultation prior to undertaking any mineral activities that may have a substantial direct impact on the lands or interests of Indian tribes; establishes an environmental standard for mining activities to ensure that mining activities prevent undue degradation of public lands and resources; prescribes requirements for the exploration permit process and for operations permits, including financial assurances; and authorizes the Hardrock Minerals Reclamation Fund to be used for responding to hazardous substance releases on abandoned hardrock mine land, including efforts to reclaim the land.
Women's Business Centers Improvement Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes the Women's Business Center Program through FY2025, raises the cap on individual center grants, establishes an accreditation program for grant recipients, and revises the duties of the Office of Women's Business Ownership. Specifically, the bill modifies the Women's Business Center Program to enable the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide initial and continuation grants to eligible entities to operate women's business centers for the benefit of women-owned small businesses. The SBA must also publish standards for a program to accredit entities that receive grants from the Women's Business Center Program, and such entities' receipt of continuation grants shall be contingent upon their obtaining accreditation.
District of Columbia Courts and Public Defender Service Employment Non-Discrimination Act This bill provides for coverage of certain employees of the District of Columbia under the District of Columbia Human Rights Act of 1977. The act prohibits discrimination in the District on the basis of certain protected characteristics (e.g., race) in a variety of settings, including employment. The bill specifies that nonjudicial employees of the District of Columbia courts and employees of the District of Columbia Public Defender Service shall be considered to be employees, and the courts and public defender service shall be considered to be employers, under the act. The bill also excludes complaints of discrimination that are filed against the courts or public defender service from the District's procedures for handling complaints of governmental discrimination.
This bill permits the Merit Systems Protection Board to review an agency's determination that an employee (or applicant) is ineligible to hold a sensitive position that does not require a security clearance or access to classified information.
HRES 1061 is a non-binding resolution supporting National Deaf History Month in April. It recognizes the contributions of deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals to U.S. society, referencing historical milestones like the founding of the American School for the Deaf (1817) and Gallaudet University (1864). The resolution encourages the public to observe the month with programs and activities but does not create new policies, funding, or requirements. It directly affirms the importance of deaf culture and history without affecting any specific group through legislative action.
Department of the Treasury Officer Protection Act of 2022 This bill allows a law enforcement officer who is employed by the Department of the Treasury to carry a service weapon home and store it in his or her residence while off duty.
Armenian Genocide Education Act This bill requires the Library of Congress to maintain a public website and otherwise support educational initiatives to promote understanding about the Armenian Genocide.
Sexual Harassment Independent Investigations and Prosecution Act This bill provides for the inclusion of sexual harassment as an offense subject to the authority of special trial counsel under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and sets forth requirements related to independent investigations of sexual harassment under the UCMJ.
This resolution recognizes that Black women are experiencing high, disproportionate rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States and that Black Maternal Health Week is an opportunity to deepen the national conversation about Black maternal health.
