Iran Hostages Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the 53 hostages of the Iran Hostage Crisis (November 4, 1979-January 21, 1981) in recognition of their bravery and endurance throughout their captivity.
This resolution designates October 30, 2022, as a national day of remembrance for the workers of the nuclear weapons program, including uranium miners, millers, and haulers, plutonium processors, and on-site participants at atmospheric nuclear weapons tests.
Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Coastal Zone Management Act, which established a cooperative framework for coastal states and territories to manage their shorelines. It recognizes the Act's role in enabling states to balance development, conservation, and public access through state-led programs and 30 National Estuarine Research Reserves. The resolution also notes the need for modernization to improve equity, Tribal partnerships, and coastal resilience, though it does not create new laws or funding.
Cruise Passenger Protection Act of 2022 This bill revises provisions related to passenger vessel security and safety. The bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop standards for cruise ship owners to provide passengers with a conspicuous and unambiguous summary of key terms of passage contracts before they are binding. Vessel owners must provide each passenger with a summary meeting those standards and include the summary in promotional literature. The bill prescribes civil and criminal penalties for violations. DOT must (1) establish a hotline for passenger complaints, (2) determine whether any of the enumerated rights in the international cruise line passenger bill of rights (adopted by the members of the Cruise Lines International Association) are enforceable under federal law, and (3) establish an advisory committee for passenger vessel consumer protection. Vessel owners must ensure that a vessel is staffed with sea marshals and medical staff. DOT must designate a director of victim support services, establish a 24-hour telephone number for crime victims, develop a written summary of rights for crime victims, maintain a statistical compilation of reported incidents, and study the feasibility of having an individual on board each vessel to provide victim support and related services. The Department of Homeland Security may withhold or revoke the clearance of, and the Coast Guard may deny entry into the United States to, any vessel owner who commits an act or omission for which a penalty is imposed under this bill or fails to pay the penalty.
Maddy summarySRES 875 is a non-binding Senate resolution declaring racism a public health crisis in the United States. It directly affects racial and ethnic minority communities, which face documented health disparities including lower life expectancy, higher maternal mortality, and worse pandemic outcomes due to systemic inequities. The resolution commits the Senate to establishing a nationwide strategy to address health disparities, dismantle systemic racism, and advance reforms for communities disproportionately impacted by racism. It cites evidence from public health experts and historical data showing racism meets all criteria of a public health crisis: widespread impact, unfair distribution, preventable nature, and lack of current preventive measures. The resolution is symbolic, urging cross-government action but not creating new laws or funding.
Air Traffic Noise and Pollution Expert Consensus Act of 20 22 This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration to enter into an arrangement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to examine and report on the various health impacts of air traffic noise and pollution.
Stop Arctic Ocean Drilling Act of 2022 This bill limits oil and gas leasing in Arctic areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from issuing or extending a lease or any other authorization for the exploration, development, or production of oil, natural gas, or any other mineral in Arctic areas of the OCS. In addition, the bill declares that it is the policy of the United States that the Arctic Ocean should be managed for the best interests of the people of the United States, including by keeping fossil fuels in the ground to avoid the dangerous impacts of climate change.
Data Mapping to Save Moms' Lives Act This act directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to include data on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity in its broadband health mapping tool. This is an online platform that allows users to visualize, overlay, and analyze broadband and health data at national, state, and county levels. The FCC must consult with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding the data to incorporate into the tool.
Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety Act of 2022 This bill makes various changes to the federal framework governing the sale, transfer, and possession of firearms and ammunition. Among other changes, the bill generally requires individuals to obtain a license to purchase, acquire, or possess a firearm or ammunition; raises the minimum age—from 18 years to 21 years—to purchase firearms and ammunition; establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties; creates a statutory process for a family or household member to petition a court for an extreme risk protection order to remove firearms from an individual who poses a risk of committing violence; restricts the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of semiautomatic assault weapons and large capacity ammunition feeding devices; restricts the manufacture, sale, transfer, purchase, or receipt of ghost guns (i.e., guns without serial numbers); requires federally licensed gun dealers to submit and annually certify compliance with a security plan to detect and deter firearm theft; removes limitations on the civil liability of gun manufacturers; allows the Consumer Product Safety Commission to issue safety standards for firearms and firearm components; establishes a community violence intervention grant program; and promotes research on firearms safety and gun violence prevention.
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment related to the fundamental right to vote. Specifically, it grants every U.S. citizen of legal voting age the fundamental right to vote in any public election held in the jurisdiction in which the citizen resides. Next, it specifies that the fundamental right to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, a state, or a political subdivision of a state, unless the denial or abridgment is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest by the least restrictive means. Finally, it repeals a specific portion of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which allows for the denial of the right to vote based on crime. (Currently, some states disallow individuals from voting, either temporarily or indefinitely, after incarceration for a felony.)
