This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that the United States should negotiate and enforce rules on digital trade and the digital economy with like-minded countries as part of its broader trade and economic strategy.
Sponsored bills
Supreme Court Review Act of 2022 This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to notify Congress of a covered Supreme Court decision and sets forth expedited procedures for the consideration of legislation related to the decision. A covered Supreme Court decision is a decision by the Supreme Court that interprets a federal statute for the first time, reinterprets a federal statute that it previously interpreted, or interprets or reinterprets the Constitution in a manner that diminishes an individual right or privilege that is or was previously protected by the Constitution.
Net Neutrality and Broadband Justice Act of 2022 This bill expressly classifies broadband internet as a telecommunications service rather than an information service for purposes of regulation by the Federal Communications Commission. (Current law treats providers of telecommunications services as common carriers and subjects them to more stringent requirements.)
Espionage Act Reform Act of 2022 This bill limits the scope of certain criminal offenses relating to classified information. Under the bill, the offense of disclosing classified information to an unauthorized person may be committed only by an individual who is authorized to receive the classified information and has signed a nondisclosure agreement regarding such classified information (i.e., a covered person), whereas under current law any individual may be charged with this offense. Under the bill, this offense shall not apply to disclosures of information to any Member of Congress, a federal court, an inspector general in the intelligence community, or certain bodies such as the Federal Trade Commission. Similarly, under the bill, certain offenses related to gathering, transmitting, or losing defense information may be committed only by a covered person or a foreign agent, whereas currently such offenses may be committed by any person. Under the bill, an individual who is not a foreign agent may not be criminally charged for such offenses unless the individual meets certain requirements, such as having committed a felony under federal law in the course of committing the offense. An offense related to obtaining and copying a document connected with the national defense shall apply only to an unlawfully obtained nonpublic document, whereas the current statute does not limit the scope of this offense to such documents. An offense related to dispensing certain public property of value shall apply only to tangible things, whereas the current statute does not limit the scope of this offense to tangible things.
Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the use of certain foreign assistance funds to provide comprehensive reproductive health care services in developing countries, including abortion services, training, and equipment.
North American Grasslands Conservation Act of 2022 This bill sets forth requirements to establish councils, a conservation strategy, and programs to conserve and restore grasslands in North America, such as a grant program to support voluntary grasslands conservation projects.
Maddy summaryThis resolution designates July 30, 2022, as "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day" to commemorate the July 30, 1778, passage of the first U.S. whistleblower protection law by the Continental Congress. It directs federal agencies to inform employees and the public about whistleblower rights and acknowledge whistleblowers' contributions to preventing fraud, waste, and abuse of public funds. The resolution does not create new legal protections or penalties but encourages agencies to recognize whistleblowers' role in safeguarding taxpayer resources and ethical governance. As a ceremonial resolution, it focuses on raising awareness rather than implementing new policy.
Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act of 2022 This bill requires federal agencies to develop a strategy to address the trafficking of firearm modification devices that are used to convert weapons into machine guns. It also requires specific reporting on these devices, and it provides for the seizure and forfeiture of proceeds relating to machinegun trafficking.
This resolution calls on the Russian government to immediately release Brittney Griner. The resolution urges the United States, in all interactions with the Russian government, to raise the case of Brittney Griner and to press for her release. The resolution further urges the Russian government to provide consular access to Brittney Griner while she remains in detention and to respect her human rights. Finally, the resolution expresses support to the family of Brittney Griner and a commitment to bringing her home.
Benjamin Berell Ferencz Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Benjamin Berell Ferencz in recognition of his service to the United States and the international community during the post-World War II Nuremberg trials and his lifelong advocacy for international criminal justice and the rule of law.