This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15-October 15, 2022; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.
This Senate resolution designates September 2022 as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month to highlight prostate cancer's impact, which affects millions of men in the U.S. as the most commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer and second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men. It calls on the public, health organizations, and communities to promote awareness, support research for better screening and treatment, and improve access to care. As a symbolic resolution, it does not create new laws, change funding, or mandate actions, but aims to encourage education and community engagement around prostate cancer prevention and early detection.
This resolution expresses support for the designation of September 2022 as PCOS Awareness Month. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is caused by a hormone imbalance, which may result in infertility, weight gain, excess hair growth, and other symptoms.
SRES 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.
SRES 784 is a Senate resolution designating the week beginning September 12, 2022, as "National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week." It recognizes Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) - colleges and universities with at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment - as vital to higher education access, economic mobility, and community development. The resolution calls for public ceremonies and activities during this week to honor HSIs' contributions, particularly during Hispanic Heritage Month. This is a symbolic recognition with no policy changes or funding impacts.
This resolution applauds and expresses support for the continued cooperation between the United States and the European Union in thwarting Hezbollah's terrorist activities. It also urges the European Union to designate Hezbollah in its entirety as a terrorist organization.
HR 7618 designates the Kol Israel Foundation Holocaust Memorial in Bedford Heights, Ohio, as a national memorial. The bill formally recognizes the memorial's role in preserving the memory of Holocaust victims and honoring survivors who built it. Crucially, the designation does not make the site part of the National Park System and explicitly states no federal funds will be used for the memorial. This is a commemorative measure affecting the memorial's official status, not a policy change with operational requirements.
Peace Corps Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 and modifies operations of the Peace Corps. Changes include increasing the readjustment allowance paid to volunteers when their service terminates and providing statutory authority for an executive order that grants returned volunteers noncompetitive eligibility for federal civil-service positions. Additionally, the bill entitles returned volunteers to sixty days of health care benefits. The Peace Corps must also provide volunteers with information about enrolling in U.S. health plans before service termination and mental health care during and after service. The bill also includes provisions to address involuntary termination of Peace Corps service in emergencies, including by expediting re-enrollment of involuntarily terminated volunteers. The Peace Corps must also adequately insure volunteers' safety and must coordinate with the Department of State to periodically update agreements concerning the security of Peace Corps volunteers and staff abroad. The bill also authorizes Peace Corps to recruit domestically based volunteers to serve in the United States at the request of another agency or to provide services in a host country virtually, modifies the Peace Corps National Advisory Council's membership and functions, expands whistleblower protections for volunteers, increases the rate of pay that applies to a volunteer's workers compensation claim, requires Peace Corps to implement a zero tolerance drug use policy regarding volunteer involvement with illegal drugs, and emphasizes the use of the internet in Peace Corps programs. Furthermore, the bill requires reporting, including on the provision of mental health services to volunteers.
Preventing a Patronage System Act of 2021 or the PPSA Act of 2021 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.
This resolution designates the week beginning September 11, 2022, as National Direct Support Professionals Recognition Week and commends the contributions of direct support professionals who provide integral services to people with disabilities.
Improving Seniors' Timely Access to Care Act of 2022 This bill establishes several requirements and standards relating to prior authorization processes under Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. Specifically, MA plans must (1) establish an electronic prior authorization program that meets specified standards, including the ability to provide real-time decisions in response to requests for items and services that are routinely approved; (2) annually publish specified prior authorization information, including the percentage of requests approved and the average response time; and (3) meet other standards, as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, relating to the quality and timeliness of prior authorization determinations.
Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grant Act This bill establishes programs within the Department of Transportation (DOT) to support the use of drones and other small, unmanned aircraft systems when inspecting, repairing, or constructing road infrastructure, electric grid infrastructure, water infrastructure, or other critical infrastructure. Specifically, DOT must award grants to state, tribal, and local governments; metropolitan planning organizations; or groups of those entities to purchase or otherwise use drones to increase efficiency, reduce costs, improve worker and community safety, reduce carbon emissions, or meet other priorities related to critical infrastructure projects. Grant recipients must use domestically manufactured drones that are made by companies not subject to influence or control from certain foreign entities, including China and Russia. DOT must also award grants to certain institutions of higher education for training students for careers using drones and related technologies.
