Never Yielding Europe's Territory (NYET) Act of 2022 This bill addresses Russia's actions against Ukraine and other countries in the region. The bill authorizes and expedites the provision of security assistance, including by (1) prioritizing delivering excess defense articles to Ukraine, (2) authorizing the Department of State to waive certain costs for defense articles leased to Ukraine, and (3) authorizing additional Foreign Military Financing for programs in Europe. The bill also provides funding for (1) Foreign Military Financing assistance to Ukraine, (2) the Global Engagement Center to counter foreign-sponsored propaganda and disinformation, (3) the Countering Russian Influence Fund to support Ukraine and other countries in response to Russia's aggression, and (4) International Military Education and Training assistance for Ukraine. Furthermore, the bill imposes sanctions, including on (1) senior Russian military officials responsible for planning or executing military operations that violated Ukraine's sovereignty or territorial integrity, and (2) foreign individuals or entities that acted on behalf of Russia's government to destabilize Ukraine or disrupt Ukraine's critical infrastructure. The bill also addresses additional matters, including (1) authorizing Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty to explore opening new bureaus to reach audiences on Russia's periphery; and (2) providing for expedited approval of natural gas exports to qualifying nations, including NATO members, whereas currently expedited approval is only available for exports to countries that are in a free trade agreement relating to natural gas with the United States.
Sponsored bills
Cutting Rampant Access to Crack Kits Act of 2022 or the CRACK Act of 2022 This bill prohibits community-based overdose prevention programs, syringe services programs, and other harm reduction programs from using funds made available through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to procure or distribute pipes or other paraphernalia that can be used to smoke, inhale, or ingest narcotics.
Maddy summarySRES 501 designates the week of January 23-29, 2022, as "National School Choice Week" through a symbolic Senate resolution. The resolution encourages parents to learn about K-12 education options - including public schools, charters, private schools, and homeschooling - and urges the public to host events raising awareness of educational choice. It does not create new policies or affect any individuals or institutions, as it is a ceremonial designation focused solely on promoting public awareness. The resolution was adopted unanimously by the Senate on February 1, 2022.
Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Act of 2022 This bill allows a child tax credit for an unborn child who is born alive. It also allows the credit upon certification that a mother's pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage (the involuntary death of an unborn child who was carried in the womb for less than 20 weeks) or that the child was stillborn (the involuntary death of an unborn child who was carried in the womb for 20 weeks or more).
This resolution supports the recognition of a Day of Tears and encourages memorializing those who have lost their lives to abortion by lowering the U.S. flag to half-staff on January 22 every year.
Maddy summaryThis resolution designates January 2022 as "National Mentoring Month" to raise awareness about mentoring's benefits for youth development and community engagement. It highlights how mentoring improves academic achievement, reduces delinquency, and supports vulnerable youth, but does not create new policies or allocate funding. The resolution serves as a symbolic recognition by the Senate, encouraging broader support for existing mentoring programs. It directly affects public awareness and advocacy efforts, not specific individuals or institutions.
This bill requires the President to take actions against Ansarallah, the Iran-backed movement in Yemen also known as the Houthis. Specifically, the President must designate Ansarallah a foreign terrorist organization. The President must also impose sanctions on Ansarallah and any foreign person (individual or entity) that is an official, agent, or affiliate of Ansarallah. The President must also report to Congress a determination as to whether specified foreign persons are officials, agents, or affiliates of Ansarallah.
This resolution recognizes and promotes the importance of parental involvement in the education of children and recognizes the necessity of school choice as a tool to empower parents to choose the best educational environment for their children.
Thin Blue Line Act This bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.
This concurrent resolution calls for honoring the 236th anniversary of the enactment of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on Religious Freedom Day, January 16, 2022. The resolution affirms that religious freedom includes the right of individuals of any faith and individuals of no faith to live, work, associate, and worship in accordance with their beliefs; all people of the United States can be unified in supporting religious freedom because it is a fundamental human right; and the American people will remain forever unshackled in matters of faith.