Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

Courthouse Ethics and Transparency Act This bill requires federal judicial officers, bankruptcy judges, and magistrate judges to file periodic transaction reports disclosing certain securities transactions. The bill also requires online publication of judicial financial disclosure reports. Specifically, the bill requires federal judicial officers, bankruptcy judges, and magistrate judges to file reports within 45 days after a purchase, sale, or exchange that exceeds $1,000 in stocks, bonds, commodities futures, and other forms of securities. Additionally, the bill directs the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts to establish a searchable internet database of judicial financial disclosure reports. The office must, within 90 days of the date by which a report must be filed, make the report available on the database in a searchable, sortable, and downloadable format. The bill does not require the immediate and unconditional availability of reports filed by a judicial officer or employee if the Judicial Conference finds that revealing personal and sensitive formation could endanger that individual or a family member of that individual.

Maddy summaryThis concurrent resolution (SCONRES 39) is a symbolic congressional gesture commemorating the 1,000,000 Americans who died from COVID-19 in the United States. It formally recognizes and mourns this death toll, which was reached on May 12, 2022, and honors the memory of the deceased while offering condolences to their families. The resolution has no binding legal effect or policy changes - it serves solely as a formal expression of remembrance by Congress. It directly affects no individuals or groups through new requirements, but acknowledges the pandemic's profound human impact on U.S. communities.

Medicare for All Act of 2022 This bill establishes a national health insurance program that is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Among other requirements, the program must (1) cover all U.S. residents; (2) provide for automatic enrollment of individuals upon birth or residency in the United States; and (3) cover items and services that are medically necessary or appropriate to maintain health or to diagnose, treat, or rehabilitate a health condition, including hospital services, prescription drugs, mental health and substance abuse treatment, dental and vision services, and home- and community-based long-term care. The bill prohibits cost-sharing (e.g., deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments) and other charges for covered services, with the exception of prescription drugs. Additionally, private health insurers and employers may only offer coverage that is supplemental to, and not duplicative of, benefits provided under the program. Health insurance exchanges and specified federal health programs terminate upon program implementation. However, the program does not affect coverage provided through the Department of Veterans Affairs, TRICARE, or the Indian Health Service. Additionally, state Medicaid programs must cover certain institutional long-term care services. The bill also establishes a series of implementing provisions relating to (1) health care provider participation; (2) HHS administration; and (3) payments and costs, including the requirement that HHS negotiate prices for prescription drugs and establish a formulary. Individuals who are age 18 or younger may enroll in the program starting one year after enactment of this bill; other individuals may buy into a transitional plan or an expanded Medicare program at this time, depending on age. The bill's program must be fully implemented four years after enactment.

No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act This bill denies employers a tax deduction for any expenditures incurred for attempting to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations or labor organization activities, such as elections, labor disputes, and collective actions. The bill requires employers to report on their attempts to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations and their activities.

Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2022 This bill generally makes it unlawful to sell or offer for sale a good or service at an unconscionably excessive price during an exceptional market shock. The bill also provides additional funding to the Federal Trade Commission.

Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2022 This bill provides for the establishment of a code of conduct for Supreme Court Justices, judges of the courts of appeals, judges of the district courts, and judges of the Court of International Trade.

Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act This bill requires the Department of Labor to address workplace violence in health care, social service, and other sectors. Specifically, Labor must issue an interim occupational safety and health standard that requires certain employers to take actions to protect workers and other personnel from workplace violence. The standard applies to employers in the health care sector, in the social service sector, and in sectors that conduct activities similar to those in the health care and social service sectors. In addition, Labor must promulgate a final standard within a specified time line.

LIHTC Financing Enabling Long-term Investment in Neighborhood Excellence Act or the LIFELINE Act This bill permits states, territories, or tribal governments to use State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to finance qualified low-income housing projects (i.e., projects for residential rental property meeting certain income tests) with loans obligated by December 31, 2024, and having maturities of 30 or more years.

Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Modernization Act of 2022 or the CALM Modernization Act of 2022 This bill applies certain requirements concerning the volume of commercials to video streaming services that are supported by advertisements (e.g., Hulu). It also modifies enforcement related to those requirements. Current law requires commercials transmitted via broadcast, cable, and satellite television to have the same average volume as the underlying programming. Under this bill, the Federal Communications Commission must apply through rulemaking similar requirements to ad-supported video streaming services. The bill also modifies enforcement of requirements for moderating the volume of commercials. The commission currently uses a complaint-driven enforcement process. Under this bill, the commission must treat violations of the requirements as violations of the Communications Act of 1934. Additionally, the bill makes rebuttable a presumption that deems a broadcast television station, cable operator, or other multichannel video programming distributor in compliance with the requirements if it appropriately installs and uses certain equipment and software to moderate the volume of commercials. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the requirements, and the commission's enforcement of them, in moderating the volume of commercials.

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.)