SRES 588 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating April 2022 as "Financial Literacy Month." It does not create new laws or policies but calls for public awareness about the importance of personal financial education. The resolution urges federal, state, local, school, nonprofit, and business entities to observe the month with activities highlighting financial education's role in helping individuals manage debt, build wealth, and make informed money decisions. It references statistics on financial challenges (like high credit card debt and low high school financial literacy requirements) but does not mandate any specific actions or funding. This is a procedural designation with no direct effect on individuals or new legislative requirements.
This resolution urges the U.S. government, European Union, and other transatlantic partners to increase cooperation and support for Moldova's democratic development, economic and energy independence, and efforts to root out corruption. The resolution reaffirms that it is U.S. policy to support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Moldova. The resolution affirms Moldova's right to determine its own partnerships and its right to associate with the European Union or any regional organization. The resolution commends Moldova's efforts to take in Ukrainian refugees and urges increased assistance by the United States and other allies and partners to Moldova to assist with those efforts. The resolution reaffirms the importance of free, fair, and transparent elections in Moldova. The resolution calls upon the government of Russia to fulfill its commitments made at the Istanbul summit of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1999, withdraw its military forces and munitions from Moldova, refrain from issuing military and economic threats or exerting pressure against Moldova, and cease any and all actions that support separatists in the region of Transnistria. The resolution supports efforts to resolve the Transnistria conflict through a comprehensive settlement that secures Moldova's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Finally, this resolution affirms that lasting stability and security in Moldova is in the strategic interest of the United States and can only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova and all other European countries are respected.
This resolution demands that Russia present credible evidence of wrongdoing against U.S. citizen Paul Whelan or immediately release him. It also demands that Russia provide unrestricted consular access to Whelan and to ensure that he and all other political prisoners are afforded due process and universally recognized human rights.
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.
SCORE for Small Business Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2023 the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) program, outlines the duties of the SCORE Association, and requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to cooperate with the association to carry out the program. Specifically, the bill requires the association to manage nationwide chapters of the program to enable volunteers participating in the program to provide personal, cost-free business expertise and facilitate education workshops to small businesses. The association must also offer online counseling through web-based platforms to small businesses. In consultation with the association, the SBA must ensure that the program (1) recruits diverse volunteers for each chapter of the program, and (2) provides services to rural and underserved communities.
SRES 593 is a Senate resolution honoring former U.S. Senator Kaneaster Hodges, Jr. of Arkansas, who served from 1977 to 1978. The resolution expresses the Senate’s "profound sorrow" at his death and directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an enrolled copy to his family. It also calls for the Senate to adjourn as a mark of respect. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy provisions or direct impact on legislation or constituents.
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that the case of Peng Shuai is directly related to broader international concerns around the freedom of speech and safety in China. The resolution expresses that the failure of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to clearly and forcefully challenge the claims of China concerning Peng's safety raises questions about the ability and willingness of the IOC to stand up for the human rights of athletes participating in the Olympic and Paralympic games in Beijing, as well as in future games. The resolution also expresses that China should (1) allow Peng to provide independent and verifiable proof of her own whereabouts and safety without retribution, (2) allow Peng to engage directly with the Women's Tennis Association and the United Nations to independently verify her safety and explain her absence from public life since making her allegation, (3) open an independent and transparent investigation into Peng's allegations against former senior Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, (4) publicly commit to holding sexual violence abusers accountable, (5) cease all censorship of reporting and discussions of Peng's case, and (6) allow Peng to leave China if she so desires and prevent any retaliation against her family members remaining there. Finally, the resolution expresses that, by failing to clearly and forcefully challenge the Chinese Communist Party's narrative, the IOC has failed to uphold its own stated commitments with regard to respect for international conventions on protecting human rights.
Burma Unified through Rigorous Military Accountability Act of 2022 or the BURMA Act of 2022 This bill imposes sanctions pertaining to Burma (Myanmar) and addresses related issues. The President must impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on certain foreign persons (i.e., an individual or entity), including those that (1) knowingly operate in Burma's defense sector, (2) are responsible for or complicit in undermining Burma's democratic processes, or (3) are senior leaders in Burma's military or government. The Department of the Treasury must prohibit or impose strict conditions on certain accounts used to facilitate transactions for such sanctioned persons. The President may impose sanctions on Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise if such sanctions would support certain objectives, including reducing the Burmese military's ability to undermine democracy in Burma. Before removing certain foreign persons from a list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons (commonly known as the SDN list), the President must certify to Congress that the person in question has not knowingly engaged in certain activities, such as supporting terrorism. The bill authorizes Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development activities in Burma and the surrounding region to support democracy activists, humanitarian assistance, and reconciliation efforts. The State Department may (1) continue to assist organizations supporting political prisoners in Burma, and (2) provide assistance to entities investigating crimes against humanity. The President must direct U.S. representatives to the United Nations to vote and advocate for certain actions related to Burma, such as cutting off assistance to Burma's government.
This resolution designates April 16 through April 24, 2022, as National Park Week. The resolution also encourages the people of the United States and the world to responsibly visit, experience, recreate in, and support the treasured national parks of the United States.
Resilient Assistance for Mitigation for Environmentally Resilient Infrastructure and Construction by Americans Act or the Resilient AMERICA Act This bill addresses disaster resilience issues and expands coverage for hazard mitigation. The bill increases from 6% to 15% the estimated aggregate amount of grants that may be set aside for national public infrastructure pre-disaster hazard mitigation assistance; makes private nonprofit facilities eligible for technical and financial assistance for implementing cost-effective pre-disaster hazard mitigation measures; provides funding for water resources development projects; and expands the use of hazard mitigation assistance to cover certain activities pertaining to wildfires, tsunamis, and ice storms. Additionally, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must set aside 10% of funds made available for any given year to further the implementation and enforcement of the latest published editions of relevant consensus-based building codes. FEMA must require as a condition of providing nonemergency financial assistance for construction projects costing at least $1 million that the steel and iron used in the projects be produced in the United States, with certain exceptions. FEMA must carry out a residential resilience pilot program to provide grants for residential resilience retrofits (e.g., elevation of homes, floodproofing measures, wildfire retrofit and mitigation measures, and wind retrofits). The Government Accountability Office must study the challenges to states and territories in obtaining funds under public assistance alternative procedures.
Spectrum Coordination Act This bill requires the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Federal Communications Commission to update the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Spectrum Coordination to (1) improve the process for resolving frequency allocation disputes in shared or adjacent spectrum bands, (2) ensure the efficient use of spectrum, and (3) establish reasonable timelines for information exchanges between the administration and the commission. The MOU formalizes the cooperative relationship between the two parties to ensure that spectrum policy decisions promote efficient use of spectrum consistent with both the economic interests and national security of the nation.
Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism Act of 2021 or the REPORT Act This bill requires specified federal agencies to report to Congress concerning any act of terrorism that occurs in the United States. Whenever an act of terrorism occurs, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and, as appropriate, the National Counterterrorism Center (NCC), must submit to the appropriate congressional committees, as specified by this bill, an unclassified report not later than one year after the completion of the investigation by the primary agency conducting the investigation concerning the terrorist act. Such report shall (1) include a statement of the facts of the act of terrorism that are known at the time of such report; (2) identify any gaps in homeland or national security that could be addressed to prevent future acts of terrorism; and (3) include any recommendations for additional measures that could be taken to improve homeland or national security, such as changes in law enforcement practices or changes in law. If DHS, DOJ, and the FBI or, as appropriate, the NCC, determines any information required to be reported could jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution, such entities (1) may withhold from reporting such information, and (2) shall notify the appropriate congressional committees of that determination.
