Sen. Robert Menendez

This concurrent resolution commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the women and men of Iran who are (1) participating in the current protests to defend their fundamental human rights, and (2) risking their safety to speak out against the human rights abuses committed by the Iranian regime. The resolution condemns (1) the brutal beating and death of Mahsa Amini; and (2) the violent suppression by the Iranian regime of women and men participating in the current demonstrations, including children. The resolution calls for transparent accountability for all killings of protesters by Iranian security forces. Finally, the resolution encourages continued efforts by the Biden Administration to respond to the protests, including the recent sanctioning of the Iranian morality police.

This resolution reiterates its strongest condemnation of the 1992 attack on the Israeli Embassy in Argentina and the 1994 attack on the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires. The resolution also honors the victims of the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Argentina and the 1994 AMIA bombing, and expresses its sympathy to the relatives of the victims, who are still waiting for justice. Finally, the resolution underscores the concern of the United States regarding the continuing, decades-long delay in resolving the 1992 and 1994 terrorist attacks in Argentina, and urges the President of the United States to offer technical assistance to the Argentinian government to support the ongoing investigations.

End Tuberculosis Now Act of 2022 This bill authorizes actions, including the provision of international assistance, to combat tuberculosis. The President may provide international assistance for the prevention, treatment, control, and elimination of tuberculosis. The President must also establish goals for U.S. efforts to detect, cure, and prevent all forms of tuberculosis globally by updating the National Action Plan for Combating Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis. The Government Accountability Office must periodically report to Congress on the impact of efforts to combat tuberculosis that are supported by U.S. bilateral assistance.

National MEP Supply Chain Database Act of 202 2 This bill requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology to establish a database that provides a national overview of the networks of U.S. supply chains.

For Accurate Import Relief To Aid Retailers and Importers of Foreign Freights Act of 2022 or the FAIR TARIFF Act of 2022 This bill provides for the liquidation or reliquidation of certain entries of products (e.g., wine, spirits, and food) of European Union countries exported to the United States during specified time periods.

Fair Access to Financial Services Act of 2022 This bill prohibits financial institutions from discriminating on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill also provides an aggrieved person with a private right of action for preventive relief.

International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes certain initiatives to combat human trafficking (e.g., the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000) and specifically incorporates anti-human trafficking initiatives into other federal programs and activities (e.g., the U.S. Agency for International Development).

Maddy summarySRES 838 is a non-binding Senate resolution expressing concern about the increasing number of book bans in schools and libraries across the U.S. It highlights that over 2,500 book restrictions affected more than 4 million students in 32 states during the 2021-2022 school year, including bans on titles addressing LGBTQ+ themes, racial history, and diverse perspectives (such as *The Handmaid’s Tale* and *Maus*). The resolution reaffirms the importance of free expression under the First Amendment and calls on schools and libraries to follow established guidelines when addressing book challenges, rather than removing materials based on political or ideological preferences. It emphasizes protecting students’ access to diverse viewpoints and educators’ ability to teach without censorship.

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.