Sen. Marco Rubio

Recovering America’s Wildlife Act of 2022 This bill provides financial and technical assistance to states, territories, and the District of Columbia for the purposes of (1) recovering species listed as a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act or under state law, or (2) avoiding the need to list species under such laws. For example, the bill establishes the Endangered Species Recovery and Habitat Conservation Legacy Fund. A portion of the fund must be used to establish an Endangered Species Recovery Grant Program. It also provides funding for (1) the conservation or restoration of wildlife and plant species of greatest conservation need; (2) the wildlife conservation strategies of states, territories, or the District of Columbia; and (3) wildlife conservation education and recreation projects. The Department of the Interior must use a portion of the funding for a grant program. The grants must be used for innovative recovery efforts for species of greatest conservation need, species listed as endangered or threatened species, or the habitats of such species. In addition, the bill requires certain revenues generated from fees and penalties for violations of environmental requirements to be used as a source for the funding.

This resolution commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the pro-democracy movement and all freedom activists in Cuba for risking everything to bring freedom to the Cuban people. The resolution condemns the repression of the hundreds of pro-democracy activists and political prisoners, including children, that the Cuban regime is unjustly detaining and subjecting to physical and psychological torture, and calls for the immediate and unconditional release of such prisoners. The resolution calls for the international community to stand with the Cuban people and speak out against the totalitarian Communist regime in Cuba for infringing on the freedom of thought, will, expression, assembly, and prosperity of the Cuban people. Finally, the resolution urges the President to firmly declare that the U.S. government will not consider any more concessions or sanctions relief to the brutal, illegitimate Communist regime in Cuba until all conditions for removing sanctions are met in accordance with the laws of the United States.

Maddy summarySRES 729 is a Senate resolution designating the week beginning November 7, 2022, as "National Pregnancy Center Week." It recognizes community-supported pregnancy centers across the United States for providing services like counseling, pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and material resources to individuals facing pregnancy decisions. The resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds but formally acknowledges these centers' work through symbolic recognition. It highlights their role in serving over 2 million people annually, though the resolution itself has no binding policy effect.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. imports of specific uranium products from Russia, directly affecting companies and importers currently bringing Russian uranium into the United States. It bans articles classified under Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes 2612.10, 2844.10, 2844.20, and 2844.30. The prohibition takes effect 45 days after the bill becomes law, applying to uranium entered into the U.S. or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption after that date. The law overrides existing provisions allowing such imports under the USEC Privatization Act.

Small Scale LNG Access Act of 2021 This bill expedites the approval of applications for the exportation of natural gas that do not exceed 51.75 billion cubic feet per year. Specifically, the bill deems such applications to be consistent with the public interest and requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to grant the applications without modification or delay. However, applications for exportation of natural gas to any nation subject to sanctions imposed by the United States may not be expedited.

Facilitating the Reshoring of Energy Grid Component Manufacturing Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish a loan program for the production of energy grid products or components. Under the program, DOE may provide loans for activities related to projects that reequip, expand, or establish manufacturing facilities to produce energy grid products or their components. Energy grid products include large power transformers or any other electrical equipment commonly used for the transmission or distribution of electric energy by public electric utilities.

Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act This bill revises various statutes with respect to violent crimes and establishes new criminal offenses. For example, the bill (1) increases the statutory maximum penalty for carjacking, and (2) establishes enhanced criminal penalties for certain federal drug offenses involving the manufacture or distribution of candy-flavored controlled substances or similar products for minors.

Countering Communist China's Financing of Russia's War on Ukraine Act This bill directs the President to impose sanctions on any entity that insures or registers a vessel engaged in the shipment or transshipment of any petroleum product or liquefied natural gas product from Russia to China. The sanctions terminate when Russia has withdrawn all military and paramilitary forces from Ukraine.

Western Hemisphere Security Strategy Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of State and the Department of Defense (DOD) to implement a multiyear Western Hemisphere Security Strategy. The strategy must include elements such as (1) a proposal for increasing U.S. bilateral and multilateral security assistance and cooperation in Latin America and the Caribbean, (2) activities to counter malign influence from state actors and transnational criminal organizations, (3) efforts to expand bilateral and multinational military training exercises with partner countries, (4) humanitarian assistance and disaster relief initiatives, (5) continued support for State Department programs to ensure the safety and rights of women and girls, and (6) a detailed assessment of the resources to carry out the strategy. The State Department and DOD must jointly report the strategy to Congress and also provide periodic briefings on the strategy's implementation. The State Department must also report to Congress on efforts by the Maduro regime of Venezuela to detain U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents. The authorities provided under this bill shall terminate three years after this bill's enactment.

This resolution recognizes and honors the life and legacy of Oswaldo Payá Sardiñas on the 10th anniversary of his death on July 22, 2022. The resolution also calls on the communist regime in Cuba to cease violating human rights and to begin providing democratic political freedoms to its citizens.