Improving Protections for Midshipmen Act This bill addresses sexual harassment, sexual assault, and other policies, procedures, and training for midshipmen at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. For example, the Department of Transportation (DOT) shall establish a Sexual Assault Advisory Council to review the academy's policy on sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and other relevant matters related to sexual assault and sexual harassment. The DOT's Maritime Administration shall (1) establish an information management system to track and maintain information regarding claims and incidents of sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking involving cadets at the academy; (2) implement comprehensive in-person sexual assault risk-reduction and response training for all midshipmen at the academy; and (3) require a biannual survey of midshipmen, faculty, and staff of the academy assessing the inclusiveness of the environment at the academy and an annual survey assessing the inclusiveness of the environment of the Sea Year program. Additionally, the bill designates a Special Victims' Advisor to provide legal assistance to any cadet of the academy who is the victim of a sex-related offense. Further, the Coast Guard shall assess the feasibility of implementing a program modeled on the Catch a Serial Offender program of the Department of Defense. The bill also expands the authority of the Coast Guard to suspend or revoke a mariner's license on grounds related to sexual harassment or assault.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summarySRES 858 is a symbolic Senate resolution expressing support for National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month. It does not create new laws or allocate funds but publicly endorses efforts to promote adoption awareness, celebrate adoptive families, and encourage Americans to consider adoption. The resolution specifically recognizes that every child deserves a permanent family and urges people to support adoption opportunities during November and year-round. It highlights existing statistics about children in foster care (e.g., 114,000 waiting for adoption) but focuses solely on raising awareness, not changing policies. This resolution was introduced by 35 Senators and adopted without legislative effect.
American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans Mental Health Act This bill directs the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide mental health and suicide prevention outreach to American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. Specifically, the bill requires that each VA medical center have a full-time minority veteran coordinator. The coordinator must receive training in the delivery of culturally appropriate mental health and suicide prevention services to American Indian and Alaska Native veterans. Further, the suicide prevention coordinator and minority veteran coordinator of each VA medical center must develop and disseminate a written plan for conducting mental health and suicide prevention outreach to all tribes and urban Indian health organizations within the area of the medical center.
Metropolitan Areas Protection and Standardization Act of 2021 or the MAPS Act of 2021 This act limits the automatic application of, and directs the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to provide information about, changes to the standards for designating a core-based statistical area (CBSA). The standards are used to delineate metropolitan and micropolitan areas for statistical purposes. Specifically, any change to the standards of CBSA delineations (1) shall not apply automatically for any nonstatistical use by any domestic assistance program, and (2) shall apply for such uses only if a relevant agency determines that the change supports the purposes of the program and is in the public interest and the change is adopted through rulemaking procedures. The OMB must ensure that any change to the standards of CBSA delineations are accompanied by a public report that explains the scientific basis, criteria, and methodology for such change and the opinions of experts in statistics and demographics who were consulted regarding the change; are not influenced by any nonstatistical considerations; and are not applied automatically for any nonstatistical use by any domestic assistance program. Additionally, the OMB must collect information on the uses of CBSA delineations by domestic assistance programs for purposes including prime recipient and subrecipient eligibility for, and distribution of, any federal service, benefit, or funding. The Government Accountability Office must submit a report assessing the information collected by the OMB pursuant to this act.
Maddy summaryThis bill grants a federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans, Incorporated, establishing it as a legally recognized nonprofit organization. It directly affects American Indian veterans by creating a formal entity to unite them, advocate for their needs with government agencies, and support tribal veterans services through outreach and training. Key provisions include requiring the organization to maintain tax-exempt status, prohibiting stock or dividends, mandating annual congressional reports on its activities, and granting exclusive rights to its name and emblems. The charter imposes strict governance rules to ensure the organization remains focused on veteran advocacy without distributing assets to members.
This resolution recognizes November 2022 as National Native American Heritage Month and the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day.
This bill prohibits the supervision requirements for physical therapy assistants and occupational therapy assistants for covered outpatient services under Medicare from being different from supervision requirements under state law.
This resolution authorizes a Senator, Senate officer, or Senate employee to (1) collect donations of clothing, toys, food, and housewares for certain charitable purposes during the holiday season from another Senator, Senate officer, or Senate employee within a Senate building or office; and (2) work with a nonprofit organization to deliver such donations.
National Advisory Council on Indian Education Improvement Act or the NACIE Improvement Act This bill revises the membership and duties of the National Advisory Council on Indian Education. Specifically, the bill requires the council to (1) include at least one member who is the president of a tribal college or university, and (2) submit its annual report to the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of the Interior. ED and Interior must consider the council's report when preparing their budget materials.
Service-Disabled Veteran Opportunities in Small Business Act This bill requires the Small Business Administration to provide training to relevant employees at any federal agency that awards in a fiscal year less than 3% of its prime contracts and subcontracts to small businesses owned by service-disabled veterans.