Pregnant Workers Fairness Act This bill prohibits employment practices that discriminate against making reasonable accommodations for qualified employees affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. A qualified employee is an employee or applicant who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position, with specified exceptions. Specifically, the bill declares that it is an unlawful employment practice to fail to make reasonable accommodations to known limitations of such employees unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on an entity's business operation; require a qualified employee affected by such condition to accept an accommodation other than any reasonable accommodation arrived at through an interactive process; deny employment opportunities based on the need of the entity to make such reasonable accommodations to a qualified employee; require such employees to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided; or take adverse action in terms, conditions, or privileges of employment against a qualified employee requesting or using such reasonable accommodations. The bill sets forth enforcement procedures and remedies that cover different types of employees in relation to such unlawful employment practices. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission must provide examples of reasonable accommodations that shall be provided to affected employees unless the employer can demonstrate that doing so would impose an undue hardship. The bill prohibits state immunity under the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution from an action for a violation of this bill.
Independent and Objective Oversight of Ukrainian Assistance Act The bill establishes the Office of the Special Inspector General for Ukrainian Military, Economic, and Humanitarian Aid. The office's duties shall include conducting and coordinating audits and investigations of the handing of funds made available for aid to Ukraine.
Ban Russian Energy Imports Act This bill declares that a national emergency exists with respect to the aggression of Russia against Ukraine. During this emergency, the President must prohibit the importation of crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, and coal in which Russia or a Russian national has any interest. The bill exempts products that are already loaded or in transit at the time of this bill's enactment.
Special Russian Sanctions Authority Act of 2022 This bill imposes sanctions pertaining to Russia and addresses related issues. The President must impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on (1) members of the United Russia Party in the lower house of Russia's legislature, (2) Russian government officials and officers of Russia's armed forces above certain levels or ranks, and (3) and members of Russia's intelligence apparatus. The President must also impose property-blocking sanctions on (1) specified individuals, including businessperson Roman Abramovich and Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin; and (2) the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company. Furthermore, the bill designates (1) the Wagner Group as a specially designated global terrorist organization, (2) Vladimir Putin as a specially designated global terrorist, and (3) any country in the Western Hemisphere with a military cooperation agreement with Russia as having engaged in a grave hostile act of a foreign power. The bill also establishes the Joint Task Force on Russian Sanctions, which must coordinate the imposition of Russia-related sanctions. The President may confiscate and liquidate any Russian government property subject to U.S. jurisdiction and transfer the resulting funds to the government of Ukraine. The President may provide military hardware to Ukraine's government to resist the Russian invasion. The Department of State must close all Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States except for the Russian embassy in Washington, DC. The Department of the Treasury must impose certain reporting requirements related to residential real estate transactions involving Russian politically exposed persons.
No Most Favored Nation Trading with Russia Act This bill withdraws normal trade relations treatment from Russia. Additionally, the bill requires the President to encourage U.S. allies and partners to (1) consider taking similar actions; and (2) condemn, at the World Trade Organization (WTO), Russia's aggression in Ukraine. Further, the President must direct the U.S. Permanent Representative to the WTO to seek suspension of Russia's membership in the WTO.
Coronavirus Origin Validation, Investigation, and Determination Act of 2022 or the COVID Act of 2022 This bill requires the President to impose sanctions and take other actions related to COVID-19 if certain conditions are not met. Specifically, if the President is unable to certify within 90 days of this bill's enactment that China's government has allowed a transparent international forensic investigation into the origins of COVID-19 and certain laboratories in the city of Wuhan, the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions against (1) individuals with leadership positions in the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); and (2) officials of the Chinese Communist Party, China's military, or China's State Council who were involved in concealing or restricting information about the initial COVID-19 outbreak in China. If the certification cannot be made, the President must also (1) prohibit federal funding for collaborative projects between U.S.-based researchers and CAS researchers in any academic field, and (2) prohibit U.S.-based researchers and institutions that receive federal funding from engaging in certain research on viruses with individuals or institutions based in China.
NFIP Extension Act of 2021 This bill reauthorizes the National Flood Insurance Program through December 3, 2021.
This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution to require that the Supreme Court consist of nine Justices.
This bill creates a point of order against considering legislation in the Senate that modifies the total number of Justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. The bill allows the point of order to be waived by a vote of two-thirds of the Senate.
This bill establishes a bipartisan advisory committee within the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to study the integrity and administration of the November 2020 general election. The committee must also make recommendations to the EAC, state legislatures, and Congress on best practices for administering federal elections, including best practices to prevent improper voting and increase the security of vote-by-mail ballots.
