Sen. Mike Lee

Lease Now Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of the Interior to resume sales of onshore and offshore oil and gas leases and specifies lease terms and other requirements related to those sales. The bill also prohibits the President from taking actions to cancel, delay, or otherwise impede federal processes related to energy mineral leasing without congressional approval.

Promoting Innovation and Offering the Needed Escape from Exhaustive Regulations Act or the PIONEER Act This bill establishes a federal regulatory sandbox program to allow businesses to apply for a temporary waiver from a federal regulation, guidance document, or any other document issued by an agency. The bill establishes the Office of Federal Regulatory Relief to administer the program.

This resolution expresses that the Senate has heard of the death of the Honorable Orrin G. Hatch, former U.S. Senator for the state of Utah. The resolution also expresses that the Senate honors the life and legacy of the late Senator Hatch for his unwavering dedication to Utah as a Senator and a public servant and accomplishments in legislating with principle and dedication for the good of the people of the United States. The resolution states when the Senate adjourns today, it stands adjourned as a further mark of respect to the memory of Senator Hatch.

Conscience Objections to Negligent State COVID-19 Inoculation Edicts Need Constitutional Enforcement Act or the CONSCIENCE Act This bill generally prohibits state and local governmental COVID-19 vaccine mandates that do not provide religious exemptions. The bill applies to any mandates adopted before, on, or after the bill's date of enactment.

This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Health and Human Services rule published on November 30, 2021, concerning vaccine and mask requirements to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in Head Start programs. These programs provide comprehensive early education and development services to low-income children.

This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to establish or support the activities of a Disinformation Governance Board at the Department of Homeland Security.

Start Making Adjustments and Require Transparency in Cocaine Sentencing Act or the SMART Cocaine Sentencing Act This bill reduces the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Currently, different threshold amounts of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. This bill reduces the federal sentencing disparity by altering the threshold amounts of crack cocaine and powder cocaine that trigger statutory criminal penalties. Specifically, the bill increases the threshold amounts of crack cocaine (e.g., from 28 to 160 grams) and decreases the threshold amounts of powder cocaine (e.g., from 500 to 400 grams) that trigger statutory criminal penalties. The changes may apply retroactively, but only if the Department of Justice (DOJ) certifies that the sentence of a defendant should be reduced. The bill requires DOJ to review and report on various data related to crack cocaine and powder cocaine, including individual dosage amounts, addictiveness, and associated violence. Additionally, the U.S. Sentencing Commission must report publicly on cocaine offenses and offenders, including trends in cocaine trafficking patterns, price, and use; the interaction of state penalties with federal prosecutorial decisions; and federal case law developments related to federal cocaine sentencing.

This joint resolution nullifies a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives rule published on April 26, 2022, concerning regulatory definitions and identification of firearms.

This joint resolution nullifies the rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services on October 7, 2021, that reverts requirements for federally funded providers of family planning services to those in effect before May 3, 2019, and makes other changes to family planning programs. Specific changes in the rule include (1) removing restrictions on pregnancy options counseling and referrals for abortion services, (2) eliminating requirements for physical and financial separation between abortion-related activities and specified family planning activities, and (3) providing a particular focus on health equity.

Protecting Americans from Unnecessary Spread upon Entry from COVID-19 Act of 2022 or the PAUSE Act of 2022 This bill maintains immigration restrictions put in place under public health emergency authorities to prevent the introduction of COVID-19 from foreign countries. Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from rescinding or reducing the stringency of the restrictions. It also prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from stopping or reducing enforcement of the restrictions. These prohibitions remain in effect until (1) federal and state COVID-19 emergency orders are lifted, and (2) the risk of introducing COVID-19 in or from Canada and Mexico is minimal.