Sen. Sherrod Brown

Maddy summaryThis Senate resolution (SRES 679) formally commemorates June 19, 2022, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day" to honor the historical event of June 19, 1865, when Union troops announced the end of slavery in Texas. It references the significance of this date in U.S. history, specifically the moment news of emancipation reached enslaved people in the Southwestern States. The resolution does not create new legal obligations or affect any specific group; it is a symbolic recognition of this historical milestone. It aligns with Juneteenth’s established status as a federal holiday, which was officially designated in 2021.

Advancing Auto-Portability Act of 2022 This bill allows employees to transfer their retirement account upon terminating their employment to a similar account with a new employer. Specifically, it makes such transfers automatic, subject to the right of employees to opt out. It imposes certain requirements upon an automatic portability provider, including a requirement that the provider acknowledge its fiduciary status and provide a notice in advance to an employee whose retirement account is being transferred that contains a description of the automatic portability transaction and any fees charged in connection with the transaction. This bill also allows an eligible employer a $500 tax credit in the year that an automatic portability arrangement is adopted.

Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Juvenile Justice System Act of 2022 This bill modifies provisions under the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Program in order to more specifically address racial and ethnic disparities with respect to arrests, secure detentions, and other decision points.

Public Safety Officer Support Act of 2022 This bill extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) to certain public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, acute stress disorder, or a trauma and stress-related disorder following an exposure to one or more traumatic events while on duty. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers and survivors of public safety officers who die or become disabled as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury in the line of duty.

United States Army Rangers Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to the U.S. Army Rangers Veterans of World War II in recognition of their dedicated service during World War II.

This resolution expresses support for the rights, freedoms, and equal treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals. The resolution r ecognizes that LGBTQ rights are human rights and protected by the laws of the United States and international treaties. Additionally, the resolution encourages the celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month in June.

This resolution designates June 6, 2022, as National CASA/GAL Volunteers Day to commend the work of court-appointed special advocate (CASA) and guardian ad litem (GAL) volunteers.

Affordability is Access Act This bill establishes several requirements relating to health insurance coverage of, and access to, over-the-counter contraceptives. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor, and the Department of the Treasury to specify that private health insurance plans must cover over-the-counter contraceptives that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), even without a prescription. Under current law, private health insurance plans (with some exceptions) must cover FDA-approved prescription contraceptives, without cost-sharing requirements. The bill also prohibits retailers from interfering with an individual's access to oral contraceptives that are meant for routine, daily use and are FDA-approved for use without a prescription.

Reclaiming the Solar Supply Chain Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a program that awards grants and direct loans to support a solar component manufacturing supply chain. Under the program, manufacturers and other eligible entities must use grants and loans for (1) constructing new facilities that manufacture solar components; and (2) retooling, retrofitting, or expanding existing facilities that manufacture solar components.

Police and Fire Health Care Protection Act of 2022 This bill eliminates the requirement that payments be made directly to providers of accident or health plans or qualified long-term care insurance contracts as a condition of eligibility for the tax exclusion of distributions from tax-exempt retirement plans for such health and long-term care insurance.