Sen. Bernard Sanders

This resolution recognizes the long history and positive economic effects of the Social Security programs. It also expresses the belief that the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income programs should continue to be funded through mandatory spending.

FDA Modernization Act 2.0 This bill authorizes the use of certain alternatives to animal testing, including cell-based assays and computer models, to obtain an exemption from the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a drug. The bill also removes a requirement to use animal studies as part of the process to obtain a license for a biological product that is biosimilar or interchangeable with another biological product.

Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act of 2022 This bill makes certain individuals and households eligible for housing assistance in connection with a major disaster, including Hurricane Maria of 2017. To be eligible, an individual or household must be (1) residing on or otherwise occupying property located in the area for which the major disaster was declared but does not have documented ownership rights to and is not renting such property; or (2) residing in or occupying, or have resided in, an area for which the major disaster was declared during the designated incident period, including individuals experiencing homelessness. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) must consider alternative forms of proof to determine the eligibility of an individual or household for assistance. In the case of an individual or household that does not have documented ownership rights in the predisaster primary residence, FEMA must consider evidence of constructive ownership. FEMA shall create and distribute a declarative form statement that applicants for assistance can use to self-certify eligibility for assistance and shall make the statement available in specified languages at all active Disaster Recovery Centers and on its website and social media. FEMA shall conduct an analysis comparing the costs, benefits, and effectiveness of assistance provided under the Disaster Housing Assistance Program with other temporary housing options provided by FEMA. FEMA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development must consult regarding the implementation of a disaster housing assistance program or similar joint program.

Veteran Service Recognition Act of 2022 This bill addresses immigration-related issues pertaining to noncitizen (or non-U.S. national) military veterans, including by authorizing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide lawful permanent resident status to a veteran subject to removal. If a noncitizen veteran appears to be eligible for lawful permanent resident status under this bill, that veteran must receive a reasonable opportunity to apply for such status and may not be removed until there is a final administrative decision on the veteran's eligibility. For the purposes of providing such status under this bill, DHS may waive any applicable grounds of inadmissibility, except for certain crime- or security-related grounds. The bill also extends certain deadlines relating to obtaining citizenship after serving in the Armed Forces. DHS must create a system for identifying noncitizens who are or may be veterans. Before initiating removal proceedings against a noncitizen, DHS must attempt to determine whether the noncitizen is a veteran. DHS must ensure that veteran status is considered in immigration proceedings. The bill also requires U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Defense to take certain actions to facilitate opportunities for military recruits and veterans to obtain U.S. citizenship, such as by training Judge Advocate General Corps members to act as liaisons between the Armed Forces and USCIS on servicemember citizenship applications. The bill also establishes the Military Family Immigration Advisory Committee to provide recommendations on cases involving the removal of a servicemember, veteran, or certain family members of such an individual.

This bill provides for the construction of nurseries on public lands. Using funds made available under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to restore native vegetation and mitigate environmental hazards on mined land on federal and nonfederal lands, the Department of the Interior shall carry out a pilot program to establish and operate nurseries on lands under its jurisdiction. Likewise, the Forest Service shall carry out a pilot program to establish and operate nurseries on National Forest System lands. Interior shall carry out its pilot program in (1) four of the eleven contiguous Western states, and (2) one state that is not one of the eleven contiguous Western states. The Forest Service shall carry out its pilot program in (1) four of the eleven contiguous Western states; and (2) one state, including Vermont, that is not one of the eleven contiguous Western states.

This resolution condemns the death and detention of Mahsa Amini (an Iranian woman who died in the custody of the Morality Policy of Iran after being detained for purportedly wearing her hijab improperly). It also calls on Iran to end its systemic persecution of women.

This resolution urges the Brazilian government to ensure that the October 2022 elections are conducted in a free, fair, credible, transparent, and peaceful manner that enables all citizens of Brazil to exercise the right to vote. The resolution call for the U.S. government to immediately recognize the outcome of the election in Brazil, if that election is determined by international observers and organizations to have been free and fair.

Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929 This bill expands eligibility for a program that authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to, at its discretion, provide lawful permanent resident status to certain long-term residents of the United States, including individuals who are unlawfully present. Currently, this program, sometimes referred to as the Registry program, is only available to eligible non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) who entered the United States before January 1, 1972. The bill removes this entry cutoff date and opens up the program to eligible individuals who have resided in the United States for at least seven years. Existing requirements (e.g., the individual must not be inadmissible or deportable due to certain grounds related to crime or terrorism) continue to apply.

Websites and Software Applications Accessibility Act This bill requires employers, public entities, and public accommodations that provide goods or services through a website or online application to make those websites and applications accessible to individuals with disabilities. The requirement applies even if the good or service is offered only digitally. The Department of Justice (DOJ) must issue standards of accessibility for applicable entities to meet this requirement. The bill provides for enforcement by DOJ, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and individual civil action. It also establishes various review and reporting requirements.

Puerto Rico Nutrition Assistance Fairness Act of 2022 This bill sets out a process to enable Puerto Rico to participate as a state in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Under current law, a state receives SNAP funding based on the number of participating households in the state whereas Puerto Rico receives a block grant to fund its nutrition assistance program. The bill requires Puerto Rico to submit to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) a plan of operation to transition away from the consolidated block grant program to SNAP. USDA must provide appropriate training and technical assistance to enable Puerto Rico to formulate such plan.