Sen. Richard J. Durbin

This resolution (1) recognizes the increase in educational opportunities, including in sports, for women and girls since the passage of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; and (2) encourages the Department of Education and the Department of Justice to ensure that students have a safe learning environment by working to ensure schools prevent and respond to discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex.

This resolution celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Federal Pell Grant program and expresses support for the designation of June 23 as National Pell Grant Day.

This bill prescribes that a peer support specialist of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) must not be responsible for providing assistance to a veteran regarding a claim for compensation for a covered mental health condition (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder) based on military sexual trauma (MST) experienced during active service. Such specialists must only provide counseling services, guidance, and support and must not participate in the adjudication of the claim. As part of the forms for claims for compensation for a covered mental health condition based on MST, the VA must include an option for a veteran to elect to be referred to a MST trauma coordinator at the VA facility closest to the veteran's residence. Additionally, the VA must (1) ensure that its peer support specialists receive annual training on providing peer support regarding MST, and (2) provide annual training on the processing of claims for compensation for covered mental health conditions based on MST to its MST coordinators and peer specialists.

Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act This bill establishes the Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies in the United States and sets forth its powers, duties, and membership. Among other duties, the commission must investigate the impacts and ongoing effects of the Indian Boarding School Policies (federal policies under which American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children were forcibly removed from their family homes and placed in boarding schools). Further, the commission must develop recommendations on ways to (1) protect unmarked graves and accompanying land protections; (2) support repatriation and identify the tribal nations from which children were taken; and (3) discontinue the removal of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children from their families and tribal communities by state social service departments, foster care agencies, and adoption agencies.

Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 20 21 This bill expands various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace. Among other things, it revises the definitions of employee , supervisor , and employer to broaden the scope of individuals covered by the fair labor standards; permits labor organizations to encourage participation of union members in strikes initiated by employees represented by a different labor organization (i.e., secondary strikes); and prohibits employers from bringing claims against unions that conduct such secondary strikes. The bill also allows collective bargaining agreements to require all employees represented by the bargaining unit to contribute fees to the labor organization for the cost of such representation, notwithstanding a state law to the contrary; and expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of, or discrimination against, workers who participate in strikes. The bill makes it an unfair labor practice to require or coerce employees to attend employer meetings designed to discourage union membership and prohibits employers from entering into agreements with employees under which employees waive the right to pursue or a join collective or class-action litigation. Finally, the bill addresses the procedures for union representation elections, modifies the protections against unfair labor practices that result in serious economic harm, and establishes penalties and permits injunctive relief against entities that fail to comply with National Labor Relations Board orders.

This resolution reaffirms the goals of World Refugee Day and the commitment of the United States to promote the safety and well-being of refugees and asylum seekers.

Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act This bill modifies provisions related to small business reorganization bankruptcies and wage earner's bankruptcies. Specifically, the bill extends for two years the increase of the amount of debt allowed to be carried by debtors to qualify for small business reorganization bankruptcy and provides that this debt limit is subject to adjustment for inflation. Additionally, it provides that a small business debtor includes a debtor that is an affiliate of certain publicly traded companies. Further, it authorizes the bankruptcy trustee to operate the business of the debtor if the debtor ceases to be a debtor in possession. The bill also increases for two years the debt limit for individuals filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 13 (i.e., the wage earner's plan) and allows both secured and unsecured debt to count towards this single limit. (Currently, separate limits apply to secured and unsecured debt.)

Good Jobs for Good Airports Act This bill addresses pay, benefits, and labor standards for certain airport service workers. Airport service workers include security officers, food service workers, cleaning staff, ticketing agents, and retail service workers. Specifically, the bill establishes a minimum wage and benefit standard for such airport service workers at large, medium, and small hub airports. It also prohibits small, medium, and large hub airports from accessing federal funds for airport development projects unless the airports certify that such airport service workers are paid no less than the higher of $15 per hour, the applicable state or local minimum wage and fringe benefits, or the prevailing wage and fringe benefits required under the Service Contract Act as established by the Department of Labor.

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 679) formally commemorates June 19, 2022, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day" to honor the historical event of June 19, 1865, when Union troops announced the end of slavery in Texas. It references the significance of this date in U.S. history, specifically the moment news of emancipation reached enslaved people in the Southwestern States. The resolution does not create new legal obligations or affect any specific group; it is a symbolic recognition of this historical milestone. It aligns with Juneteenth’s established status as a federal holiday, which was officially designated in 2021.

Air America Act of 2022 This bill establishes the service of Air America employees as qualifying service for purposes of the Civil Service Retirement System. (Air America was a government-owned airline that provided air transport for certain covert operations in Southeast Asia, including Laos and Vietnam, between 1950 and 1976.) The bill applies to U.S. citizens who were employees of Air America or another affiliated company, as specified, between January 1, 1950, and December 31, 1976. Benefit applications must be filed within two years of the date of enactment of this bill.