Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

Maddy summarySRES 779 is a Senate resolution designating September 17-24, 2022, as "National Estuaries Week." It aims to raise public awareness about the ecological and economic importance of estuaries, which support jobs, fisheries, and coastal protection. The resolution highlights estuaries' role in sustaining 3.5 million jobs and $351 billion in economic output while recognizing threats like pollution and habitat loss. As a procedural resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but encourages public recognition of estuary conservation.

Preventing Adversary Influence, Disinformation, and Obscured Foreign Financing Act of 2022 or the PAID OFF Act of 2022 This bill requires certain persons to register as agents of a foreign principal if the foreign principal in question is a foreign adversary. For the purposes of this bill, a foreign adversary is a foreign government or person (individual or entity) that has engaged in a long-term pattern of conduct significantly adverse to U.S. national security or the security and safety of U.S. persons. Currently, the Foreign Agents Registration Act exempts certain agents from the act's registration requirements, including agents (1) engaged only in private and nonpolitical activities to advance a foreign principal's bona fide trade or commerce interests, or (2) engaged in certain lobbying activities and where the agent has registered as a lobbyist. Under this bill, these exemptions shall not apply if the foreign principal is a foreign adversary.

Maddy summaryThis resolution (SRES 768) is a ceremonial Senate measure recognizing the fourth week of September 2022 as National Forensic Science Week. It does not create new laws or funding but formally supports the week’s goals by encouraging forensic science professionals, local policymakers, media, and the public to engage in activities like laboratory tours, community events, and discussions about forensic science needs. The resolution specifically urges policymakers to formally declare the week and visit labs, while inviting the public to attend events and learn about forensic science contributions. It has no direct legal effect or policy changes.

Veterans and Consumers Fair Credit Act This bill applies certain military consumer credit protections to all consumers. Specifically, the bill caps the interest rate on extensions of consumer credit at 36%.

This resolution expresses that the Senate has heard the announcement of the death of the Honorable Jacqueline R. Walorski, Congresswoman for the Second Congressional District of Indiana. The resolution also honors Representative Walorski for her service to Indiana and the United States. The resolution expresses that when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Representative Walorski.

Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2022 or the FISH Act of 2022 This bill addresses illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing). For example, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration must establish, publish, and put vessels on a U.S. black list that denies port privileges, certain travel through, delivery of supplies, delivery of services, or transshipment in the exclusive economic zone for vessels that have conducted IUU fishing and vessels that have the same owner as a vessel on the black list. The President shall impose sanctions with respect to each foreign person that the President determines is the beneficial owner of a vessel on the black list. Further, the U.S. Coast Guard must (1) increase its observation and boarding of vessels on the high seas that are suspected of IUU fishing, and (2) coordinate with regional fisheries management organizations to determine what corrective measures each nation has taken after its vessels have been boarded for suspected IUU fishing.

Livable Communities Act of 2021 This bill creates the Office of Sustainable Communities in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to coordinate the provision of long-term affordable housing, transportation, and environmental projects and to administer grant programs established in the bill. The bill creates the Comprehensive Planning Grant Program and the Community Challenge Grant Program to be administered by the office. Grants under the Comprehensive Planning Grant Program must be used for specified activities related to the coordination, development, or updating of a comprehensive regional plan across jurisdictions and agencies. Grants offered under the Community Challenge Grant Program must be used to promote integrated planning and investments across policy and governmental jurisdictions and to implement projects identified in a regional plan. The bill also creates a program that requires HUD to provide loans and loan guarantees to projects that meet specified criteria. Eligible projects must be part of a community-wide development plan, promote sustainable development, and ensure that housing units associated with the project are affordable and initially occupied by lower-income renters or homeowners.

Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development and Generating Renewable Energy to Electrify the Nation's Infrastructure and Jobs Act or the BUILD GREEN Infrastructure and Jobs Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a green transportation infrastructure program to provide competitive grants to states, local governments, and other entities for capital investments in electrified surface transportation infrastructure projects. DOT must select projects that maximize sustainability, including projects that (1) promote the electrification of all public transportation, (2) contribute to climate resilience and mitigation, (3) reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and (4) achieve energy savings and reduce energy usage compared to other eligible projects. Additionally, DOT must prioritize projects that (1) serve a frontline, vulnerable, or disadvantaged community; (2) are located in an area that has experienced high adverse health and environmental impacts on minority and low-income populations; (3) require federal funds in order to complete an overall financing package; or (4) add a new green space or new state or local park units and outdoor recreational areas. Grants issued under the program may not be less than $2 million, with the exception of grants for project planning, preparation, or design, which are not subject to a minimum amount. The federal share of the cost of a project may not exceed 85% for planning, design, and construction purposes and 50% of the operation and maintenance costs of the project for its first 10 years.

This resolution designates September 25, 2022, as National Lobster Day and encourages the people of the United States to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

Preventing a Patronage System Act of 2022 or the PPSA Act of 2022 This bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in Schedules A through E as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. On October 21, 2020, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order titled Creating Schedule F in the Excepted Service . The order placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new schedule in the excepted service (Schedule F) instead of the competitive service. The order also required any such positions in the excepted service to be reclassified to Schedule F. The order was revoked by President Joe Biden on January 22, 2021.