Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith

Improving Memphis' Supply Chain Act This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to undertake a process, in coordination with the Federal Maritime Commission, to create a voluntary chassis pool operated by a private sector contractor at the rail ramps near Memphis, TN. (Chassis are special trailers used to transport shipping containers.) DOT must solicit proposals from contractors to develop a model for operating such a pool. The proposals must address, among other matters, a sustainable fee structure, estimates of the number of chassis needed in the pool, and real property necessary to operate the pool. If any contractors submit satisfactory proposals, DOT must (1) contract with one of them to operate the pool, and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of the pool within one year of its implementation. In the event there are no satisfactory proposals submitted, DOT must provide Congress with alternative options to improve the availability of chassis at the rail ramps.

Helping with Equal Access to Leave and Investing in Needs for Grieving Mothers and Fathers Act or the HEALING Mothers and Fathers Act This bill revises the family and medical leave entitlement and limits funding to certain family planning programs. Specifically, the bill provides family and medical leave due to the spontaneous loss of an unborn child of an employee or spouse of the employee. It also establishes a tax credit for an individual who experiences, during the taxable year, the stillbirth of a child who would have been a qualifying child of the individual for the taxable year if the child had been born live. The bill further prohibits the Office of Population Affairs within the Department of Health and Human Services from providing federal assistance to voluntary family planning programs that (1) perform abortions, (2) provide funding to another entity that performs abortions, or (3) refer patients to abortion providers.

This resolution supports the designation of November 21, 2021, as National Warrior Call Day to encourage individuals to talk with members of the Armed Forces and veterans to connect them with support.

Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take various actions to address transparency in pricing and contract terms in the cattle industry. Among these requirements, USDA must (1) establish regional minimum percentages of cattle that meat packers must procure through negotiated purchases or negotiated grid purchases (i.e., transactions where the price is known and negotiated at the time of the transaction), and (2) maintain a publicly available catalog of contracts offered by meat packers to livestock producers for the purchase of fed cattle.

Maddy summarySRES 451 is a commemorative Senate resolution honoring the late Senator Max Cleland (D-GA), who died November 9, 2021. The resolution recognizes his service as a Vietnam War veteran (losing both legs and an arm in combat), his 50+ years of public service including roles as Georgia State Senator, Secretary of State, U.S. Senator, and Administrator of the Veterans Administration, and his advocacy for veterans. It formally expresses the Senate’s "profound sorrow" and "deep regret" over his death, commemorates his legacy of service to Georgia and veterans, and requests the Secretary of the Senate transmit the resolution to his family. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy changes or legal effect.

Supporting Made in America Renewable and Traditional Energy Act or the SMART Energy Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to (1) conduct certain sales of leases of onshore and offshore federal land for the development of oil and gas; (2) establish priority areas for geothermal, solar, and wind energy projects on federal lands; and (3) review and make proposals for leasing federal offshore land for wind energy projects in the Atlantic and Pacific Regions of the outer Continental Shelf. The bill also limits delays on federal oil and gas leases.

Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2021 This bill allows certain individuals to sue and recover damages for harm from exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987. This action is available only to individuals who were exposed to contaminated water for at least 30 days. The bill prohibits the U.S. government from asserting specified immunity from litigation in response to such a lawsuit. The bill also prohibits an individual who brings such an action from bringing a separate tort action against the United States based on the same harm.

Judgment Fund Accountability Act of 2021 This bill prohibits payments from the Judgment Fund to individuals who entered or attempted to enter the United States unlawfully. (The Judgment Fund is an account for paying judgments and settlements against the United States.)

Prohibiting Taxpayer Funded Settlements for Illegal Immigrants Act This bill prohibits using federal funds to make settlement payments to compensate any individuals for being separated from family members while detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection if the detention was (1) a result of the individual improperly entering (or attempting to improperly enter) the United States, and (2) in accordance with a Department of Justice memorandum that adopted a zero-tolerance policy for such improper entry into the United States.

WALL Act of 2021 This bill appropriates $25 billion for the construction of a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border and addresses other issues related to immigration. As offsets to this spending, the bill restricts the child tax credit, earned income credits, and lifetime learning credits to those with Social Security numbers and not prohibited from employment in the United States. Also, individuals who file taxes using an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) instead of a Social Security number must pay a fee ($300 for each individual on the tax return who was issued an ITIN). The bill restricts eligibility for certain federally-funded benefits, including unemployment compensation, supplemental nutrition assistance, and housing benefits, to those eligible to work in the United States. Agencies administering such benefits must use the E-Verify program to confirm the eligibility of applicants for such benefits. This bill also sets fines for aliens who improperly enter the United States or overstay their visas.