Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic Lending Act of 2022 or the SAFE Lending Act of 2022 This bill revises requirements related to consumer financial protection and small-dollar lending, including matters concerning remotely created checks, electronic fund transfers, registration of small-dollar lenders, overdraft fees, and the collection of personal information. Under the bill, remotely created checks may only be issued by a person specifically designated in writing by a consumer and provided to the consumer's depository institution. (A remotely created check is a check not issued by the bank and not signed by the account owner.) A voluntary agreement to repay a small-dollar consumer credit transaction by an electronic fund transfer is subject to certain protections, including the right of the consumer to stop payment. Small-dollar consumer credit providers must register with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Any small-dollar consumer credit transaction is subject to the laws of the state in which the consumer resides. The bill also prohibits overdraft fees on prepaid accounts.

Tule River Tribe Reserved Water Rights Settlement Act of 2022 This bill authorizes, ratifies, and confirms a specified water rights settlement agreement entered into by the Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, the South Tule Independent Ditch Company, and the Tule River Association, thus satisfying claims to water rights in California. Additionally, the bill establishes and provides funding for a settlement trust fund.

Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2022 This bill expands access to study abroad for U.S. undergraduate students. It revises the Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students program (commonly known as the IDEAS program) and formally renames the program as the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program.

Resilient Transit Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation to provide grants to assist states and local governments in financing public transportation resilience improvement projects that increase the resilience of public transportation systems from the impacts of changing conditions, such as sea level rise, flooding, wildfires, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters.

Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes criminal penalties and/or fines on individuals for directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine or imprisonment.

Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act of 2022 This bill revises the process of casting and counting electoral votes for presidential elections. The bill also revises provisions related to the presidential transition process. The bill specifies that the choice of electors must occur in accordance with the laws of the state enacted prior to election day. Additionally, the bill identifies each state's governor (unless otherwise identified in the laws or constitution of a state in effect on election day) as responsible for submitting the certificate of ascertainment identifying the state's electors. Further, the bill provides for expedited judicial review for any action brought by an aggrieved presidential or vice-presidential candidate arising under the U.S. Constitution or U.S. laws with respect to the issuance or transmission of such a certificate. The bill revises the framework for the joint session of Congress to count electoral votes and make a formal declaration of which candidates have been elected President and Vice President. Among other changes, the bill (1) specifies that the role of the Vice President during the joint session shall be ministerial in nature, and (2) raises the objection threshold in Congress to at least one-fifth of the duly chosen and sworn members of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The bill also revises the presidential transition process, including to (1) allow more than one candidate to receive federal transition resources under certain circumstances, and (2) require additional reporting by the General Services Administration.

Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to undertake activities to improve the cybersecurity of the health care and public health sector. HHS must coordinate with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on these activities; in particular, CISA must make resources, including cyber-threat indicators and appropriate defense measures, available to federal and nonfederal entities that receive information through HHS programs. In addition, HHS must provide training on cybersecurity risks and mitigation strategies to owners of assets in the health care and public health sector. HHS must also update the Healthcare and Public Health Sector Specific Plan, which guides the sector's effort to enhance the security and resilience of critical infrastructure. The updates must address, among other topics, the impact of the risks on rural entities and small- and medium-sized entities, cybersecurity workforce shortages in the sector, and challenges related to the COVID-19 emergency.

Salton Sea Projects Improvements Act This bill provides the Bureau of Reclamation with additional project authorities for the Salton Sea research project in Southern California and reauthorizes a Department of Interior pilot program in the Colorado River Basin. Specifically, the bill authorizes Reclamation to provide grants and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements to carry out projects (e.g., construction activities and dust suppression projects) to improve air quality, fish and wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and water quality in the area of the Salton Sea. To carry out these projects, Reclamation may enter into partnerships with state, tribal, and local governments; water districts; joint powers authorities, including the Salton Sea Authority; nonprofit organizations; and institutions of higher education. The bill also reauthorizes 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. The bill further 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.

Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act This bill adjusts the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area in California as depicted on a specified map to include the Rim of the Valley Unit. The Rim of the Valley Unit, and any lands or interests acquired by the United States and located within its boundaries, shall be administered as part of the recreation area. The addition of the Rim of the Valley Unit to the recreation area shall not affect the operation, maintenance, or modification of water resource facilities or public utilities within the unit.

Rosie the Riveter National Historical Park Expansion Act This bill adds Nystrom Elementary School to the Rosie the Riveter/World War II Home Front National Historical Park in California. The Department of the Interior may also add certain other areas to the park. Such other areas must be determined to be eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places; have a direct connection to World War II home front themes in Richmond, California; and relate to the purpose, significance, and interpretive themes of the park. Interior may enter into cooperative agreements with the West Contra Costa Unified School District and other appropriate public and private agencies, organizations, and institutions to carry out the purposes of this bill. Interior shall coordinate visitor interpretation of the Nystrom Elementary School site with the West Contra Costa Unified School District.