Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination Act or the FIND Act This bill prohibits the federal government from entering into contracts with an entity that discriminates against firearm trade associations or businesses that deal in firearms, ammunition, or related products. Specifically, the bill requires a federal agency to include in each contract for the procurement of goods or services awarded by the agency a clause requiring the prime contractor to certify that it (1) has no policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association; and (2) will not adopt a policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association during the term of the contract. The bill establishes (1) a similar requirement with respect to subcontracts, and (2) penalties for violations. The bill makes such prohibition inapplicable to a contract for the procurement of goods or services that is a sole-source contract.
Educational Choice for Children Act This bill allows individuals and corporations a new tax credit after 2022 for charitable contributions to tax-exempt organizations that provide scholarships to elementary and secondary school students. Such students must be members of a household with incomes not greater 300% of the area median gross income and be eligible to enroll in a public elementary or secondary school. The bill excludes from the gross income of taxpayer dependents any scholarship amount for the elementary or secondary education expenses of eligible students. It also prohibits governmental control over scholarship granting organizations.
Checks and Balances Act This bill expands congressional oversight of guidance documents (and other statements of policy) issued by a task force or similar entity composed of members of a federal agency.
Community Development Investment Tax Credit Act of 2022 This bill allows a new tax credit for investment in Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) to benefit underserved communities. The credit amount is a specified percentage of investment in a CDFI during successive ten year periods. The total credit amount is capped at $1 billion in 2022, $1.5 billion in 2023, and $2 billion in 2024 and each year thereafter, adjusted for inflation.
Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 This act revises requirements governing ocean shipping to increase the authority of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to promote the growth and development of U.S. exports through an ocean transportation system that is competitive, efficient, and economical. For example, the bill requires the FMC to (1) investigate complaints about detention and demurrage charges (i.e., late fees) charged by common ocean carriers, (2) determine whether those charges are reasonable, and (3) order refunds for unreasonable charges. It also prohibits common ocean carriers, marine terminal operators, or ocean transportation intermediaries from unreasonably refusing cargo space when available or resorting to other unfair or unjustly discriminatory methods.
Dental Care for Our Troops Act This bill allows the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a premium-free dental plan for members of the Selected Reserve. Participants in this dental plan may not be charged copays for services covered by the plan. (Current law requires DOD to offer a dental plan to members of the Selected Reserve, but the plan has premiums and copays.)
Small Business Contracting Fairness Act of 2022 This bill removes the maximum annual revenue threshold that limits certain small businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals from receiving funding under the disadvantaged business enterprise program. The program provides such small businesses the opportunity to compete for federally funded transportation contracts.
Reducing Farm Input Costs and Barriers to Domestic Production Act This bill addresses various provisions related to the regulation of domestic agricultural products, including by requiring the Department of Agriculture to publish criteria for considering requests from meat and poultry establishments to operate at line speeds in excess of the current regulatory limitations. The bill also nullifies the final rule issued by the Council on Environmental Quality on April 20, 2022, that reinstated various National Environmental Policy Act regulatory provisions.
This Senate resolution (SRES 679) formally commemorates June 19, 2022, as "Juneteenth National Independence Day" to honor the historical event of June 19, 1865, when Union troops announced the end of slavery in Texas. It references the significance of this date in U.S. history, specifically the moment news of emancipation reached enslaved people in the Southwestern States. The resolution does not create new legal obligations or affect any specific group; it is a symbolic recognition of this historical milestone. It aligns with Juneteenth’s established status as a federal holiday, which was officially designated in 2021.
Political Bias In Algorithm Sorting Emails Act of 2022 or the Political BIAS Emails Act of 2022 This bill restricts email providers from applying filtering algorithms that label political campaign messages as spam and requires providers to publicly report on their email delivery practices.
Military School Temporary Uprooting Duty Year Act or the Military STUDY Act This bill permits the military departments to authorize temporary duty status, and travel and transportation allowances, for members who are reassigned between duty stations within the United States for not more than one year for the purpose of participating in professional military education or training classes with orders to return to the duty station of primary residence and where the dependents of such members reside. If the military department assigns permanent duty status to such a member, the member must be eligible for travel and transportation allowances at specified rates, including per diem while traveling between the permanent duty station and professional military education institution or training site.
Maritime Border Security Technology Improvement Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security to periodically report to Congress a needs analysis for operational and border security technology along the maritime borders of the United States.
