Sen. Marco Rubio

Restoring Military Focus Act This bill eliminates the position of Chief Diversity Officer within the Department of Defense (DOD), as well as the position of Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion within the military departments. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds to establish similar positions to that of Chief Diversity Officer or Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion within DOD.

CCP Visa Ban Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the Department of State from issuing certain visas to members of the Chinese Communist Party. Specifically, the bill prohibits the issuance of temporary visas for business (B-1 visas) or tourism (B-2 visas) to party members. Further, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Bureau of Consular Affairs must cancel any such unexpired visas that have been issued to party members.

Helping Households And Neighbors Distribute Services for Families Act or the Helping HANDS for Families Act This bill allows states and tribes to use funds to provide an online portal to facilitate the provision of community support for families and children under the MaryLee Allen Promoting Safe and Stable Families grant program.

United States Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act This bill requires the Department of State to develop a comprehensive strategy to combat illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere, with a focus on artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), a form of mining typified by labor-intensive techniques, dangerous working conditions, and limited regulation. The required strategy shall include policies, programs, and initiatives to (1) interrupt the linkages between ASM and illicit actors such as drug traffickers and foreign terrorist organizations; (2) deter ASM in environmentally protected areas; (3) build the capacity of foreign civilian law enforcement to counter linkages between illicit gold mining and money laundering, forced labor, sex work, child labor, and trafficking; and (4) support efforts by foreign governments to increase regulation of the ASM sector. This bill also requires the U.S. Agency for International Development to coordinate with democratically elected governments in the region to establish a public-private partnership to improve transparency and traceability in the international gold trade.

Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of State to (1) submit an annual report to Congress about ties between criminal gangs and economically or politically influential individuals in Haiti, and (2) designate those people for sanctions. The report must, for example, identify Haitian criminal gangs, identify influential Haitian individuals with ties to those gangs, and assess the implications of those ties to U.S. national security.

Joint Consolidation Loan Separation Act This act allows two borrowers, who had previously received a joint consolidation loan for their federal student loan debt, to submit a joint application to the Department of Education to sever their consolidated loan into two separate loans. One borrower may submit a separate application in the event that the individual has experienced domestic or economic abuse from the other individual borrower or is unable to reasonably reach or access the loan information of the other borrower. In the case of a borrower who receives a separate consolidation loan due to those circumstances, the other individual borrower must become solely liable for the remaining balance of the joint consolidation loan.

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2022 This act reauthorizes the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom through FY2024. The commission is an independent federal commission that monitors international religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations.

Maddy summarySRES 811 is a ceremonial Senate resolution designating October 2-8, 2022, as "Religious Education Week" to celebrate the role of religious education in the U.S. It does not create new laws or policies but affirms the importance of religious education for moral and civic development. The resolution references historical figures, Supreme Court cases supporting religious instruction options, and studies linking religious education to youth well-being. It urges states to accommodate religious education programs, such as school release time for religious classes, but this is a non-binding recommendation. As a resolution, it has no legal effect and solely serves to recognize religious education's contributions.

This resolution supports the designation of October 2-October 8, 2022, as National 4-H Week. It also (1) recognizes the important role of 4-H in youth development and education, and (2) encourages all citizens to recognize 4-H for the significant impact the organization and members have made and continue to make by empowering young people with the skills needed to lead for a lifetime.

Campus Accountability and Safety Act This bill addresses sexual harassment, sexual assault, and other violence and harassment on the campuses of institutions of higher education (IHEs). Among other provisions, the bill (1) requires additional information to be included in the annual campus security report provided to current and prospective students and employees, (2) requires each IHE to establish a campus security policy that meets certain requirements, and (3) authorizes grants to address these issues.