Sen. Ben Ray Luján

This resolution designates September 2022 as National Voting Rights Month, encourages people to uphold the right to vote, encourages Congress to pass certain voting rights legislation, recommends the development of a curriculum in public schools and universities regarding voting, encourages the U.S. Postal Service to issue a special Representative John R. Lewis stamp during the month of September, and invites Congress to allocate funds for public service announcements regarding elections.

Election Worker Protection Act of 2022 This bill addresses certain protections for election workers. Among other provisions, the bill (1) establishes grants for the recruitment, training, and safety of election workers; and (2) makes it a crime to intimidate, threaten, coerce, or harass an election worker with the intent to interfere with the official duties of, or retaliate against, the worker.

Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2022 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2022 This bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosures of campaign expenditures, and requiring additional disclosures regarding certain political advertisements. Specifically, the bill expands existing foreign money prohibitions to include disbursements for paid web-based or digital communications and federal judicial nomination communications. It also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda. The Government Accountability Office must, for each four-year election cycle, study and report on the incidence of illicit foreign money in federal elections. Next, the bill makes it unlawful to establish or use a corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal an election contribution or donation by a foreign national. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. Covered organizations (e.g., corporations, labor organizations, and political organizations) must, within 24 hours, file reports with the Federal Election Commission to disclose campaign expenditures of more than $10,000 during an election cycle. The bill also requires organizations to provide additional disclosures regarding political advertisements, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates the Healing Garden at 6900 Delta Drive in El Paso, Texas, as the "El Paso Community Healing Garden National Memorial." It directly affects the garden's status and the local community it serves. The key provision clarifies that this designation does not make the site part of the National Park System and explicitly states no federal funds will be required for its maintenance or operation.

Cerro de la Olla Wilderness Establishment Act This bill designates specified federal land administered by the Bureau of Land Management in Taos County, New Mexico, comprising 13,098 acres in the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, to be known as the Cerro de la Olla Wilderness. The Department of the Interior shall enter into a cooperative agreement with New Mexico that specifies, subject to certain prohibition provisions under the Wilderness Act, the terms and conditions under which wildlife management activities in the wilderness may be carried out. Subject to such agreement and such prohibition provisions, Interior may authorize the maintenance of any existing structure or facility for wildlife water development projects (including guzzlers) in the wilderness, if the structure or facility would enhance wilderness values by promoting healthy, viable, and more naturally distributed wildlife populations; and the visual impacts of the structure or facility on the wilderness can reasonably be minimized. The bill modifies the boundary of the monument.

This resolution recognizes (1) the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15-October 15, 2022; and (2) the integral role of Latinos and their manifold heritage in the economy, culture, and identity of the United States.

This resolution supports the designation of September 2022 as National Recovery Month and recognizes the importance of education to prevent substance use disorders.

Maddy summarySRES 780 is a Senate resolution designating September 2022 as "National Workforce Development Month." It does not create new laws or funding but formally acknowledges the importance of workforce development programs. The resolution supports existing federal initiatives like the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which helps workers gain skills through training, career pathways, and job placement services. It recognizes that these programs assist millions of people, including those with low incomes, veterans, and individuals with disabilities, by connecting them to employment opportunities.

Maddy summarySRES 784 is a Senate resolution designating the week beginning September 12, 2022, as "National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week." It recognizes Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) - colleges and universities with at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment - as vital to higher education access, economic mobility, and community development. The resolution calls for public ceremonies and activities during this week to honor HSIs' contributions, particularly during Hispanic Heritage Month. This is a symbolic recognition with no policy changes or funding impacts.

Digital Equity Foundation Act of 2022 This bill sets out a process for establishing the Foundation for Digital Equity to raise funding for, develop programs and partnerships to, and otherwise support efforts to expand access to broadband internet and promote digital literacy, inclusion, and equity. The bill authorizes the foundation to carry out a range of activities to advance its mission, such as (1) establishing for-profit subsidiaries to stimulate economic development and attract investment partners, and (2) awarding grants.