This resolution supports the designation of February 2022 as Career and Technical Education Month to celebrate career and technical education across the United States.
Maddy summarySRES 516 designates the week of February 7-11, 2022, as "National School Counseling Week." The resolution encourages the public to observe this week with activities that raise awareness about school counselors' role in supporting students' academic, social, and emotional development. It does not create new laws or alter funding but highlights existing challenges like the high student-to-counselor ratio (424:1 nationally) and counselors' contributions to student well-being. The resolution applies broadly to all U.S. schools and communities, aiming to increase recognition of counseling professionals' work.
Regional Ocean Partnership Act This bill allows the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to designate and support Regional Ocean Partnerships between coastal states that share a common ocean or coastal area or border the Great Lakes. It also allows partnerships between coastal states and non-coastal states that share a common watershed or would contribute to the priorities of the partnership. Specifically, NOAA may designate a partnership as a Regional Ocean Partnership if it (1) is established to coordinate the management of ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources among state governments and Indian tribes; (2) focuses on the environmental issues affecting the ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes areas of the coastal states participating in the partnership; (3) complements existing coastal and ocean management efforts of states and Indian tribes on an interstate scale, focusing on shared regional priorities; (4) does not have a regulatory function; and (5) is not duplicative of an existing Regional Ocean Partnership. The bill designates the following entities as Regional Ocean Partnerships: the Gulf of Mexico Alliance, the Northeast Regional Ocean Council, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean, and the West Coast Ocean Alliance. Each partnership must maintain mechanisms for coordination, consultation and engagement with the federal government, Indian tribes, nongovernmental entities, and other federally mandated regional entities. A partnership may use provided federal funds to award grants and enter into contracts for certain purposes, including to monitor the water quality and living resources of multistate ocean and coastal ecosystems.
Employee Retention Tax Credit Reinstatement Act This bill provides for a reinstatement of the employee retention tax credit through 2021. The credit was established to compensate employers whose businesses were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic for wages paid to their employees.
Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill modifies and reauthorizes through FY2027 programs and activities under the Violence Against Women Act that seek to prevent and respond to domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking. The bill also authorizes new programs, makes changes to federal criminal laws, and establishes new protections to promote housing stability and economic security for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking.
Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act of 2022 or the EARN IT Act of 2022 This bill revises the federal framework governing the prevention of online sexual exploitation of children. The bill establishes the National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention. The commission must develop best practices for interactive computer services providers (e.g., Facebook and Twitter) to prevent, reduce, and respond to the online sexual exploitation of children. Additionally, the bill limits the liability protections of interactive computer service providers with respect to claims alleging violations of child sexual exploitation laws. The bill replaces various statutory references to child pornography and material that contains child pornography with child sexual abuse material . Finally, the bill makes changes to the reporting requirements for electronic communication service providers and remote computing service providers (providers) who report apparent instances of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Among the changes, the bill requires providers to report facts and circumstances sufficient to identify and locate each minor and each involved individual. The bill also increases the amount of time that providers must preserve the contents of a report.
Maddy summarySRES 509 is a non-binding Senate resolution honoring NFL quarterback Tom Brady for his 22-season professional career, primarily with the New England Patriots (20 seasons) and briefly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2 seasons). The resolution recognizes his seven Super Bowl championships, NFL records (including most career passing yards and touchdowns), and iconic moments like the 2007 perfect regular season and Super Bowl LI comeback. It does not create new laws or affect any policies - it is a ceremonial tribute to Brady’s athletic achievements and legacy. The resolution was introduced by Senators Hassan, Collins, Whitehouse, and others in February 2022.
Gas Prices Relief Act of 2022 This bill provides for a temporary exemption through 2022 from the excise tax on gasoline (other than aviation gasoline) and from the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund financing rate. The Department of the Treasury must transfer from the general fund to the Highway Trust Fund and the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund amounts resulting from the exemption provided by this bill. The bill also expresses congressional policy that consumers immediately receive the benefit of this exemption.
First Rhode Island Regiment Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the First Rhode Island Regiment, collectively, in recognition of their dedicated service during the Revolutionary War.
Middle Class Mortgage Insurance Premium Act of 2022 This bill increases the adjusted gross income threshold for the phaseout of the mortgage insurance premium tax deduction and makes such deduction permanent.
