Sen. Thom Tillis

Public Health and Border Security Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to meet conditions related to notification and planning before terminating certain restrictions on imports and individuals entering the United States. Current law authorizes HHS to restrict entries and imports from foreign countries to prevent the introduction of communicable diseases. HHS exercised this authority as part of its COVID-19 response, including to allow for the expulsion of undocumented migrants at the border without any asylum processing. Under this bill, HHS may not terminate the restrictions for (1) at least 60 days after it notifies Congress of the end of the COVID-19 emergency, and (2) at least 30 days after it submits to Congress a plan for addressing the possible influx of migrants or imports resulting from lifting the restrictions.

This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to prohibit, with certain exceptions, individuals from entering the United States through a coastal or land port of entry or a Border Patrol station near a U.S. land border. This prohibition shall not apply to a (1) U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, (2) member of the U.S. Armed Forces or the spouse and children of a member, or (3) person from a foreign country with valid travel documents arriving at a designated port of entry. This prohibition shall be in place until February 1, 2025.

Maddy summarySRES 581 is a Senate resolution supporting the designation of April 24-30, 2022, as "National Crime Victims' Rights Week." It expresses the Senate's recognition of the importance of supporting crime victims and survivors, honoring their rights, and acknowledging the work of victim assistance organizations. The resolution does not create new legal requirements or funding but serves as a symbolic gesture to raise awareness and promote commemorative activities. It highlights existing federal efforts like the Victims of Crime Act and Violence Against Women Act to support victims, without imposing direct obligations on any group.

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.

HBCU Research, Innovation, Security, and Excellence Act or the HBCU RISE Act This bill directs the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a pilot program to increase capacity for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) that are designated as high research activity status to achieve very high research activity status. High research activity status (known as R2 status) and very high research activity status (known as R1 status) are classifications by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. In carrying out the pilot program, DOD must award grants for key areas of scientific research to HBCUs that are classified as high research activity status institutions. DOD may expand the program to other HBCUs beyond those that are classified as high research activity status if DOD determines that the program can support such an expansion. DOD must annually establish a list of key areas of scientific research for which grant applicants may seek funding.

Ethiopia Peace and Stabilization Act of 2022 This bill addresses U.S. efforts to support a peaceful, democratic Ethiopia and bring an end to the country's civil conflict. The President may provide support for efforts (1) by the African Union or other credible entities to bring about a peaceful resolution to the conflict across Ethiopia; (2) to engage in peace building, mediation, and community reconciliation; and (3) to pursue accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ethiopia. The Department of State must develop and implement strategies to support democracy, rule of law, and human rights in Ethiopia. The State Department must also ensure the implementation of a strategy, to be developed by the U.S. Agency for International Development, to support conflict mitigation and management, reconciliation, and trauma healing for Ethiopians affected by the conflict. The President must impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that have engaged in certain actions related to the conflict in Ethiopia, such as taking significant actions to undermine efforts to end the conflict or deriving significant benefit from efforts to impede the transition to democracy. The bill also (1) prohibits the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation from providing support for economic development projects in Ethiopia, (2) suspends any U.S. security assistance to the government of Ethiopia, and (3) requires U.S. representatives at international financial institutions to oppose any loan or extension of assistance to the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea. These restrictions shall continue until there is a resolution of the civil conflict.

Small Lenders Exempt from New Data and Excessive Reporting Act or the Small LENDER Act This bill exempts certain financial institutions and transactions from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) reporting requirements with respect to data about small business credit applications. Under the bill, the requirements apply only to financial institutions that originate at least 500 credit transactions to small businesses in each of the preceding two years. The bill further defines small businesses as those with annual revenue of $1 million or less. Currently, the CFPB has proposed a rule that the requirements apply only to financial institutions that originate at least 25 annual credit transactions to small businesses in each of the preceding two years. The rule further defines small businesses as those with annual revenue of $5 million or less.

Restoring Shareholder Transparency Act of 2022 This bill limits corporate shareholder proposals and revises proxy voting protocols for shareholders. Current shareholder proposal rules address who is eligible to submit shareholder proposals for a vote and the dissemination of information to voters through a proxy statement. Under the bill, a company is not required to comply with these shareholder proposal rules. Instead, a company may opt-in to these rules. The bill also revises these rules to require a shareholder hold at least 1% of the market value of the company's securities in order to submit a shareholder proposal. Under current rules, a shareholder's ability to submit a proposal depends upon the dollar amount of shares held and the length of time the shares have been held. It also revises these rules to provide that a company's allowed bases for exclusion of a proposal apply without regard to whether the proposal relates to a significant social policy issue. Under current guidance, a shareholder proposal may overcome a company's exclusion if the proposal is of social policy significance. Finally, the bill generally prohibits proxy voting advice furnished by a person who provides such advice for a fee.

Equal Opportunity for all Investors Act This bill expands who may be considered an accredited investor for purposes of participating in private offerings of securities. Certain unregistered securities may only be offered to accredited investors. Specifically, the bill allows an individual to qualify through an examination established by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), a state securities commission, or certain self-regulatory organizations. The examination must measure whether an individual understands and appreciates the risks and opportunities of investing in securities, must be designed to ensure that an individual with financial sophistication or training would be unlikely to fail, and may be designed and/or administered by an approved person. Currently, accredited investors must satisfy certain requirements indicating their reduced exposure to financial risk, including those related to income, net worth, or knowledge and experience. The bill also allows purchasers to self-certify that they meet the income or net worth requirements. Further, the bill allows a person to qualify as an accredited investor by satisfying certain investment or transaction requirements. Finally, the SEC may review and adjust the definition of accredited investor, except for the net worth standards, at its discretion. Currently, the SEC must perform this review every four years.

Dodd-Frank Material Disclosure Improvement Act This bill eliminates disclosure requirements applicable to issuers of securities. Specifically, it eliminates requirements to disclose the ratio of an issuer's median employee pay to its Chief Executive Officer pay; the use of conflict minerals originating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo by the issuer; health and safety information of mines operated by the issuer; and payments by an oil, natural gas, or mineral extractor to a foreign government or to the federal government.