National R & D Strategy for Distributed Ledger Technology Act of 2022 This bill provides for a national strategy and research and development regarding technologies related to distributed ledgers (e.g., blockchain or Bitcoin). A distributed ledger is a ledger that is shared across and synchronized between a set of distributed nodes (i.e., devices or processes) in a network that store a complete or partial replica of the ledger and meet other requirements. The Office of Science and Technology Policy must develop a national strategy for the research and development of distributed ledger technologies and their applications, including applications of public and permissionless distributed ledgers. The office must coordinate with the National Science and Technology Council and other relevant federal agencies, as appropriate, on the strategy. The national strategy shall include plans to support public and private sector investment and partnerships in research and technology development for societally beneficial applications of distributed ledger technologies, and an identification of additional resources, administrative action, or legislative action recommended to assist with the implementation of such strategy. The National Science Foundation shall make competitive awards to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or their consortia) to support research, including interdisciplinary research, on distributed ledger technologies and their applications. The National Institute of Standards and Technology may carry out an applied research project to study and demonstrate the potential benefits and unique capabilities of distributed ledger technologies.
Sponsored bills
This resolution designates November 13, 2022, as National Warrior Call Day to encourage individuals to talk with members of the Armed Forces and veterans to connect them with support.
Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2021 This bill sets forth requirements for the processing of a proposed residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The bureau must notify lenders upon receipt of such documentation, perform a preliminary review of such documents not later than 10 days after receipt, and approve or disapprove of such documents within 20 or 30 days, depending on the type of application. Additionally, the bill sets forth requirements for the bureau regarding (1) response times for the completion of certified title status reports, (2) notification of delays in processing, and (3) the form of notices and delivery of certain reports. The bill also provides relevant federal agencies and Indian tribes with read-only access to the Trust Asset and Accounting Management System maintained by the bureau. The Government Accountability Office must report on digitizing documents for the purpose of streamlining and expediting the completion of mortgage packages for residential mortgages on Indian land. Finally, the bill establishes within the bureau's Division of Real Estate Services the position of Realty Ombudsman.
Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide competitive grants to Indian tribes, states, metropolitan planning organizations, and local governments for projects that provide parking for commercial motor vehicles and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicle drivers on federal-aid highways or on a facility with reasonable access to such a highway or a freight facility. In providing grants, DOT must prioritize applicants that demonstrate a shortage of commercial motor vehicle parking capacity in the corridor in which the project is located; consultation with motor carriers, commercial motor vehicle drivers, public safety officials, and private providers of commercial motor vehicle parking; the project will likely increase the availability or utilization of commercial motor vehicle parking, facilitate the efficient movement of freight, and improve highway safety, traffic congestion, and air quality; and the ability to provide for the maintenance and operation of the facility.
Colorado River Basin Conservation Act This bill reauthorizes the Department of the Interior to fund or participate in pilot projects to increase Colorado River System water in Lake Mead and the Colorado River Storage Project reservoirs through FY2026. Interior administers these pilot projects to address the effects of drought conditions on the Colorado River Basin, which includes the Upper Basin states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) and Lower Basin states (Arizona, California, and Nevada). The bill also requires Interior to submit an updated report to Congress by the end of FY2027 on the effectiveness of the pilot projects and a recommendation on whether to continue the program.
No Emergency Crude Oil for Foreign Adversaries Act This bill prohibits exports of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to require as a condition of any sale of crude oil from the SPR that the oil not be exported to such countries. However, DOE may issue a waiver of the prohibition if the sale of crude oil is in the national security interests of the United States. In addition, DOE must report on (1) the route to destination and place of refinement of all crude oil sold at auction from the SPR since November 23, 2021, and (2) the ownership of the refinement facilities at which such crude oil was refined.
National Opportunity to Restore Uranium Supply Services In America Act of 2022 or the NO RUSSIA Act of 2022 This bill provides statutory authority (and reallocates funding) for the Office of Nuclear Energy to establish a strategic reserve of uranium to ensure the availability of domestic supplies of uranium. The bill also requires the office to establish another program to support domestic production, conversion, and enrichment of uranium for nuclear reactors and eliminate reliance on Russian uranium. The office may not source uranium for the reserve or the program from companies that are controlled by, owned by, or otherwise affiliated with China or Russia.
This resolution recognizes the efforts and sacrifices of the wildland firefighters who have risked their lives to fight intense wildfires in 2022. The resolution also (1) expresses support for communities throughout the West as they focus on recovery and rebuilding areas and communities affected by wildfires, and (2) extends gratitude to the families and loved ones of wildland firefighters for supporting the wildland firefighter community.
Protect Farmers from the SEC Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural products.
Journalism Competition and Preservation Act of 2022 This bill sets out a process through which certain broadcast or digital news providers may collectively negotiate with covered online platforms (e.g., social media companies) regarding use of the news providers' content by the platforms. Specifically, the bill authorizes an eligible provider (e.g., one with no more than 1,500 full-time employees and nonnetwork news broadcasters that engage in specified news practices) to jointly form an entity with other eligible providers to negotiate the pricing, terms, and conditions by which certain online platforms use the providers' content. A covered platform is generally one that (1) has at least 50 million monthly domestic users, and (2) is owned or controlled by a person with either sales or a market capitalization that exceeds a specified amount or at least one billion monthly users worldwide. The bill establishes requirements concerning the formation, governance, operation, and termination of the joint negotiation entity. It also exempts from antitrust laws certain actions by a joint negotiation entity (e.g., providers jointly denying a platform's access to the providers' content). The bill outlines requirements governing the conduct of the negotiations by, for example, requiring the parties to negotiate in good faith. Additionally, the bill provides for private rights of action if the requirements for a negotiation are not met and establishes requirements for arbitration in limited circumstances. The Government Accountability Office must study the impact of the joint negotiations, including their effects on local and regional news and the employment of journalists. In general, the bill's provisions terminate six years after its enactment.