Original Slavery Remembrance Day Resolution of 2021 This resolution supports the designation of a Slavery Remembrance Day and condemns slavery and its progenies.
Timely Delivery of Bank Secrecy Act Reports Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to provide Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) reports to a congressional committee or subcommittee not later than 30 days after a request. Under the BSA, financial institutions must keep records of certain transactions and report suspicious activity indicative of money laundering or other criminal activity. Additionally, when subpoenaed, a financial institution must provide such reports to a congressional committee or subcommittee.
Federal PFAS Research Evaluation Act This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) to complete various studies and reports related to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing. Specifically, the bill requires the EPA to enter into an agreement with NASEM to (1) study and report on research and knowledge gaps identified by the Federal Government Human Health PFAS Research Workshop (October 26 and 27, 2020); and (2) identify research and development needed to identify, categorize, evaluate, and address individual or total PFAS. Additionally, the EPA and other relevant federal agencies must enter into an agreement with NASEM to submit a study and report to better understand the research and development needed to better understand the extent and implications of human and environmental contamination by PFAS and any management and treatment options. After NASEM submits the required reports, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy must submit an implementation plan to Congress for increased collaboration and coordination of federal PFAS research, development, and demonstration activities.
Brycen Gray and Ben Price COVID-19 Cognitive Research Act This bill directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to award competitive, merit-reviewed grants to eligible entities, including through the RAPID funding mechanism, to support interdisciplinary research on the disruption of regular cognitive processes associated with both short-term and long-term COVID-19 infections, including with respect to children and adolescents. No later than 45 days after the enactment of this bill, the NSF shall enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study and produce a report on the disruption of cognitive processes associated with COVID-19 infection.
Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act of 2022 This bill modifies provisions relating to the licensing of commercial remote sensing systems. The bill decreases from 120 to 60 days the amount of time in which the Department of Commerce shall review and make a determination on the application for a license by a private sector party to operate a private remote sensing space system. The annual report concerning the licensing of private remote sensing systems must include (1) a list of all applications submitted and licenses granted, listed by tier, as well as the rationale for each tier categorization; and (2) all terms, conditions, or restrictions placed on licensees.
Frederick Douglass Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes programs to combat human trafficking and addresses related issues. The bill reauthorizes through FY2026 various programs, including (1) Department of State and Department of Justice activities to combat human trafficking internationally; and (2) the Angel Watch Center, a U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement program that notifies foreign countries of the pending arrival of certain convicted sex offenders. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may carry out a program to prevent the re-exploitation of certain victims of trafficking by helping such individuals reintegrate into society and achieve self-sufficiency. The bill modifies an existing HHS grant program to provide training to school staff and students to recognize and avoid human trafficking, including by (1) renaming the program the Frederick Douglass Human Trafficking Prevention Education Grants program, and (2) modifying the prioritization for awarding such grants. The U.S. Agency for International Development must encourage integration of activities to counter human trafficking into its broader assistance programs. The bill also reauthorizes the U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking through FY2031.
Housing Temperature Safety Act of 2022 This bill establishes a pilot program through which the Department of Housing and Urban Development must award grants to public housing agencies and owners of certain federally assisted rental housing to install in dwelling units (with the written permission of tenants) temperature sensors for purposes of ensuring that units comply with temperature-related requirements.
Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act This bill requires the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation within the Securities and Exchange Commission to report on issues encountered by rural-area small businesses.
Promoting New and Diverse Depository Institutions Act This bill requires federal banking agencies to study and report on the challenges faced by entities attempting to become chartered depository institutions and to develop a strategic plan to assist in the application process. The strategic plan must (1) promote the chartering of minority depository institutions and entities that could be certified as community development financial institutions, and (2) describe actions to increase the number of depository institutions located in underserved areas. The bill also decreases, beginning September 30, 2022, the cap on the surplus funds of the Federal Reserve banks. (Amounts exceeding this cap are deposited in the general fund of the Treasury.)
Risk-Based Credit Examination Act This bill provides the Securities and Exchange Commission's Office of Credit Ratings with discretion concerning reviewable matters during its annual examination of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations.
Developing and Empowering our Aspiring Leaders Act of 2022 This bill directs the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to revise venture capital investment regulations if the SEC determines such revisions would facilitate capital formation without compromising investor protection. Venture capital funds are exempt from certain regulations applicable to other investment firms, including those related to filings, audits, and restricted communications with investors. Under current law, non-qualifying investments—which include secondary transactions and investments in other venture capital funds—may comprise up to 20% of a venture capital fund. The bill allows, after SEC approval, investments acquired through secondary transactions or investments in other venture capital funds to be considered as qualifying investments for venture capital funds. However, for a private fund to qualify as a venture capital fund, the fund's investments must predominately be acquired directly from a qualifying portfolio company.
Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act This bill requires the National Science Foundation (NSF) to take certain actions to increase mathematical and statistical modeling education in public elementary and secondary schools. First, the NSF must provide competitive grants to institutions of higher education and nonprofit organizations for research and development to support high-quality mathematical modeling education (e.g., data science and computational thinking) in schools. In addition, the NSF must seek to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study and report on mathematical and statistical modeling education in schools.
