Sen. Marco Rubio

Higher Education Innovation Act This bill establishes an alternative authorization process for institutions of higher education (IHEs) and other education providers to participate in federal student-aid programs. The Department of Education must approve innovation authorizers to authorize IHEs or other education providers that promote student success outcomes and cost-effectiveness, agree to outcome-based oversight and reporting requirements, meet performance metrics, and comply with other specified requirements. Authorization by an innovation authorizer is deemed recognized accreditation for purposes of participation in federal student-aid programs. An IHE or education provider may be both accredited by a recognized accrediting agency and authorized by an innovation authorizer, if it meets the requirements of both.

Fairness for Crime Victims Act of 2022 This bill establishes budget points of order in the House of Representatives and the Senate against considering provisions in appropriations legislation that contain changes in mandatory programs (CHIMPs) that would cause the amount available for obligation during the fiscal year from the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) to be less than the annual average for the three previous fiscal years. A CHIMP is a provision that (1) would have been estimated as affecting direct spending or receipts if the provision were included in legislation other than an appropriations bill; and (2) results in a net decrease in budget authority in the current year or the budget year, but does not result in a net decrease in outlays over the period of the total of the current year, the budget year, and all fiscal years covered under the most recently adopted budget resolution.

This joint resolution nullifies a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives rule published on April 26, 2022, concerning regulatory definitions and identification of firearms.

This joint resolution nullifies the rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services on October 7, 2021, that reverts requirements for federally funded providers of family planning services to those in effect before May 3, 2019, and makes other changes to family planning programs. Specific changes in the rule include (1) removing restrictions on pregnancy options counseling and referrals for abortion services, (2) eliminating requirements for physical and financial separation between abortion-related activities and specified family planning activities, and (3) providing a particular focus on health equity.

Maddy summarySRES 588 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating April 2022 as "Financial Literacy Month." It does not create new laws or policies but calls for public awareness about the importance of personal financial education. The resolution urges federal, state, local, school, nonprofit, and business entities to observe the month with activities highlighting financial education's role in helping individuals manage debt, build wealth, and make informed money decisions. It references statistics on financial challenges (like high credit card debt and low high school financial literacy requirements) but does not mandate any specific actions or funding. This is a procedural designation with no direct effect on individuals or new legislative requirements.

Transaction and Sourcing Knowledge Act or the TASK Act This bill requires the Securities and Exchange Commission to mandate the reporting of certain information by publicly traded companies. Specifically, companies must report on the sourcing and due diligence involving products imported into the United States utilizing forced labor from Xinjiang, China; transactions with companies on the Department of Commerce's trade restriction list or designated as Chinese military-industrial complex companies; and for U.S. companies with facilities in China, whether there is a Chinese Communist Party committee in the operations of the company, and a summary of that committee's activity.

This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from obligating or expending any amounts to provide emergency assistance in response to an emergency at the southern border directly resulting from the repeal of certain public health orders from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Specifically, the bill prohibits such emergency assistance in response to the repeal of the order issued on August 2, 2021, titled Public Health Reassessment and Order Suspending the Right To Introduce Certain Persons From Countries Where a Quarantinable Communicable Disease Exists ; the order issued on April 1, 2022, titled Public Health Determination and Order Regarding Suspending the Right To Introduce Certain Persons From Countries Where a Quarantinable Communicable Disease Exists ; and an order relating to the same public health concerns as the listed orders.

Maddy summarySRES 593 is a Senate resolution honoring former U.S. Senator Kaneaster Hodges, Jr. of Arkansas, who served from 1977 to 1978. The resolution expresses the Senate’s "profound sorrow" at his death and directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit an enrolled copy to his family. It also calls for the Senate to adjourn as a mark of respect. This is a ceremonial resolution with no policy provisions or direct impact on legislation or constituents.

This resolution honors the life and memory of Jereima "Jeri" Bustamante and encourages the recipients of the Jereima Bustamante Memorial Scholarship to carry on her legacy.

Uyghur Policy Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of State to take various actions concerning the treatment of Uyghurs and other minority groups in China. For example, the bill requires the State Department to (1) support human rights advocates representing such groups speaking at public diplomacy forums, including in Muslim-majority countries; (2) ensure that Uyghur language training is available to Foreign Service officers; and (3) support the appointment of a special rapporteur or working group at the United Nations to monitor and report on human rights violations and abuses in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China.