Sen. Edward J. Markey

This resolution designates March 2022 as Irish-American Heritage Month. The resolution also recognizes the significant contributions of Irish Americans in the history and progress of the United States. Finally, the resolution supports the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement (also known as the Belfast Agreement) and subsequent agreements or arrangements for implementation of that agreement to support peace in Ireland.

Wage Theft Prevention and Wage Recovery Act This bill requires employers to make initial and modified disclosures to employees of the terms of their employment, provide such employees with regular paystubs, and make a final payment to an employee for uncompensated work hours within 14 days of the employee's termination. Employers must also allow employees access to wage records. An employer must compensate an employee at the rate specified in an employment contract, including a collective bargaining agreement, that specifies a rate of pay higher than the minimum wage rate. The bill makes all of such unpaid wages recoverable through civil enforcement. The bill establishes new and increased civil and criminal penalties for violations of overtime or minimum wage requirements, including referral to the Department of Justice for criminal prosecution of employers who engage in wage theft, falsification of wage records, or retaliation against employees. The Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor must provide grants to specified organizations, including nonprofits and educational institutions, to enhance the enforcement of wage and hour laws. The Government Accountability Office must study and report on successful grant programs.

Judicial Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act of 2022 This bill makes various changes to the federal framework governing judicial ethics. Among the changes, the bill prohibits federal judges and Supreme Court Justices from owning individual stocks and securities; requires the Judicial Conference of the United States to issue regulations restricting the solicitation or acceptance of gifts in connection with a private judicial seminar; expresses the sense of Congress that the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges shall apply to Supreme Court Justices; requires federal judges and Supreme Court Justices to report on each association or interest that would require recusal, including any financial interest of a spouse or minor child who resides in the household; and establishes a committee to review complaints against the Supreme Court.

This resolution designates May 10, 2022, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day to bring attention to the impact of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills. (Fentanyl is a potent prescription opioid for treating severe pain that is also made and used illegally.)

This resolution expresses that the Senate has heard of the death of the Honorable Orrin G. Hatch, former U.S. Senator for the state of Utah. The resolution also expresses that the Senate honors the life and legacy of the late Senator Hatch for his unwavering dedication to Utah as a Senator and a public servant and accomplishments in legislating with principle and dedication for the good of the people of the United States. The resolution states when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Hatch.

This resolution expresses support for the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and welcomes its representatives from the governments of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States. It urges the United States-ASEAN Special Summit, scheduled for May 12 and 13, 2022, to prioritize democracy, good governance, rule of law, and human rights. The resolution calls on ASEAN to reaffirm its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine and for an immediate cease fire and the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine. Finally, the resolution encourages the President to communicate to ASEAN leaders the importance of promoting the rule of law, strengthening civil society, and protecting human rights.

Installing Clean Efficient Energy Hastens Our Transition Act of 2022 or the ICEE HOT Act of 2022 This bill revises the State Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program by allowing states to provide rebates to distributors and original equipment manufacturers of certain electrical heating appliances (e.g., heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and heat pump clothes dryers) that are made in the United States.

Stop Overdraft Profiteering Act of 2021 This bill prohibits a depository institution from engaging in certain acts in connection with overdraft coverage. Each depository institution that offers overdraft coverage for accounts must disclose overdraft coverage fees and certain related information. A depository institution must provide certain other disclosures regarding its overdraft protection program, including prompt notification of the account's overdraft status. Regarding overdraft fees, the bill limits the number of overdraft fees a consumer may be charged each month and year, provides that such fees must be reasonable, and prohibits an overdraft coverage fee if the overdraft results solely from a debit hold amount that exceeds the actual dollar amount of the transaction. The bill also prohibits a depository institution from charging a non-sufficient fund fee for any debit card transaction, or reporting negative information regarding consumer use of overdraft coverage to any consumer reporting agency when the overdraft amounts and coverage fees are paid under the terms of an overdraft coverage program.

Maddy summarySRES 614 is a Senate resolution designating July 20, 2022, as "Glioblastoma Awareness Day." It does not create new laws or funding but formally recognizes the need for greater public awareness of glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer with a low survival rate (6.8% at 5 years). The resolution encourages public education about the disease, honors those affected, and supports research efforts like the Glioblastoma Therapeutics Network. It serves as a symbolic gesture to highlight the urgent unmet medical needs of glioblastoma patients and caregivers.

Maddy summarySRES 613 is a Senate resolution supporting National Minority Health Month in April 2022. It calls for raising public awareness about health disparities faced by specific minority groups, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asian Americans, African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders. The resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds but serves as a symbolic statement to highlight these inequities, referencing statistics on higher rates of conditions like diabetes, HIV, and infant mortality in these communities.