Sen. Marsha Blackburn

This bill allows funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services grant program to be used to provide training to officers and recruits who agree to serve in law enforcement agencies in their communities.

Maddy summarySRES 729 is a Senate resolution designating the week beginning November 7, 2022, as "National Pregnancy Center Week." It recognizes community-supported pregnancy centers across the United States for providing services like counseling, pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, and material resources to individuals facing pregnancy decisions. The resolution does not create new laws or allocate funds but formally acknowledges these centers' work through symbolic recognition. It highlights their role in serving over 2 million people annually, though the resolution itself has no binding policy effect.

Taiwan Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the President to lend or lease defense articles to Taiwan for protection against potential Chinese military aggression and requires the President to establish expedited procedures for delivering loaned or leased defense articles to Taiwan.

Federal Bureau of Investigations Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act This bill allows whistleblowers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to appeal agency decisions regarding alleged reprisals to the Merit Systems Protection Board. Whistleblowers may also seek action directly from the board if the agency does not issue a decision within 180 days of receiving such an allegation.

This bill modifies the definition of water heater , otherwise revises energy conservation standards, and sets forth labeling requirements for water heaters. In addition, it directs the Department of Energy to determine whether electric storage water heaters should possess demand response capabilities.

Microelectronics Research for Energy Innovation Act of 2022 or the Micro Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Energy to carry out a program, which includes workforce training and development, to accelerate research for designing, developing, and manufacturing next-generation microelectronics.

Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act This bill revises various statutes with respect to violent crimes and establishes new criminal offenses. For example, the bill (1) increases the statutory maximum penalty for carjacking, and (2) establishes enhanced criminal penalties for certain federal drug offenses involving the manufacture or distribution of candy-flavored controlled substances or similar products for minors.

Maddy summaryThe Pacific Islands Embassies Act requires the U.S. Department of State to establish new physical embassies in Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Tonga within two years of enactment. It authorizes $40.2 million for embassy construction and maintenance in fiscal year 2023, plus $3 million for ongoing operations in 2024. The bill mandates regular progress reports to Congress on embassy establishment and regional developments, including activities by China in the Pacific Islands region. This legislation directly affects U.S. diplomatic operations and the three Pacific Island nations by creating dedicated diplomatic posts to strengthen engagement in the region.

Maddy summaryThis resolution designates July 30, 2022, as "National Whistleblower Appreciation Day" to commemorate the July 30, 1778, passage of the first U.S. whistleblower protection law by the Continental Congress. It directs federal agencies to inform employees and the public about whistleblower rights and acknowledge whistleblowers' contributions to preventing fraud, waste, and abuse of public funds. The resolution does not create new legal protections or penalties but encourages agencies to recognize whistleblowers' role in safeguarding taxpayer resources and ethical governance. As a ceremonial resolution, it focuses on raising awareness rather than implementing new policy.

Maximize Americans' Retirement Security Act This bill revises the fiduciary duties for a retirement or employee benefit plan that is regulated under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The bill generally requires a fiduciary to select and maintain investments for a plan based solely on pecuniary factors. Under the bill, a pecuniary factor is a factor that is expected to have a material effect on the risk or return of an investment based on appropriate investment horizons that are consistent with the plan's investment objectives and funding policy. A fiduciary may only use nonpecuniary factors if the fiduciary is unable to distinguish between investment alternatives on the basis of pecuniary factors alone. In such a case, the fiduciary must provide specified documentation to the plan's participants and beneficiaries, including an explanation of how the chosen nonpecuniary factors are consistent with their interests.