Sen. Mike Rounds

Investments in Rural Transit Act of 2021 This bill increases the federal share of operating costs to 80% for projects in certain rural areas with high transit dependency that receive grants under the Formula Grants for Rural Areas program of the Federal Transit Administration. The program provides capital, planning, and operating assistance to states to support public transportation in rural areas with populations of less than 50,000. To qualify for the increased federal share, a project must serve an area that is an area of persistent poverty (a county in which at least 20% of the population has lived in poverty during the most recent 30-year period); a county in which at least 25% of residents are age 65 or older, a county designated as a health professional shortage area on the basis of a primary care or mental health care shortage, or a county with low population density of not more than 20 people per square mile of land area.

Developing and Empowering our Aspiring Leaders Act of 2022 This bill directs the Securities and Exchange Commission to revise venture capital investment regulations. Venture capital funds are exempt from certain regulations applicable to other investment firms, including those related to filings, audits, and restricted communications with investors. Under current law, non-qualifying investments—which include secondary transactions and investments in other venture capital funds—may comprise up to 20% of a venture capital fund. The bill allows investments acquired through secondary transactions or investments in other venture capital funds to be considered as qualifying investments for venture capital funds. However, for a private fund to qualify as a venture capital fund, the fund's investments must predominately (1) be acquired directly, or (2) be investments in other venture capital funds.

Landowner Easement Rights Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from entering into a conservation easement with a term of more than 50 years. The bill sets forth requirements for the renegotiation of a conservation easement at the request of an owner of land that is subject to a conservation easement that (1) has been in effect for longer than 50 years, or (2) was put into effect before 1977 without the creation of an official corresponding map. Interior shall notify such an owner of the owner's right to submit a request.

Maddy summarySRES 565 is a ceremonial Senate resolution honoring the late Representative Don Young (R-AK), who served 49 years in the U.S. House of Representatives - the longest tenure of any Alaska representative and the 45th Dean of the House. The resolution commemorates his life, service, and legacy, including his work on landmark legislation like the Trans-Alaska Pipeline authorization and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. It contains no policy changes or new laws; instead, it directs the Senate to mourn his passing, honor his bipartisan service, and transmit a copy to his family. This is a purely symbolic resolution with no direct impact on constituents or legislation.

This resolution congratulates the people of Greece as they celebrate the 201st anniversary of Greece's independence. The resolution also expresses support for the principles of democratic governance to which the people of the United States and Greece are committed.

This resolution designates March 24, 2022, as National Women in Agriculture Day. It also recognizes the important role of women in agriculture as producers, educators, leaders, mentors, and more

Home-Based Telemental Health Care Act of 2022 This bill establishes a grant program to fund demonstration projects to provide mental health services to medically underserved individuals in rural areas or in the farming, fishing, and forestry industries. Specifically, the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth within the Health Resources and Services Administration must award grants to public or nonprofit telemental health provider networks to deliver, and evaluate the impact of, home-based telemental services for such individuals. The office must coordinate activities with the Rural Health Liaison of the Department of Agriculture.

Increasing Opportunities for Retail Investors Act This bill expands the exemptions from registration requirements applicable to companies offering or selling securities. In general, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prohibits the offering or selling of securities unless the offering is registered with the SEC or it qualifies for an exemption. Specifically, the bill increases the annual offering limit applicable to the crowdfunding exemption from $1 million to $5 million. The bill also allows the SEC to increase through rulemaking the dollar threshold or limit applicable to other types of offerings, including offerings for small- and medium-sized companies. Additionally, the bill increases the offering limit applicable to small securities offerings and provides for adjustments to this limit in line with inflation.

This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; Updating Payment Parameters, Section 1332 Waiver Implementing Regulations, and Improving Health Insurance Markets for 2022 and Beyond , which was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Department of the Treasury on September 27, 2021. The rule expands the open enrollment period for individual health coverage and rescinds the previous interpretation of certain requirements relating to Section 1332 waivers (also known as State Innovation Waivers or State Relief and Empowerment Waivers).

Military Spouse Hiring Act This bill expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to include the hiring of a qualified military spouse. (The WOTC permits employers who hire individuals who are members of a targeted group such as qualified veterans, ex-felons, or long-term unemployment recipients to claim a tax credit equal to a portion of the wages paid to those individuals.) A qualified military spouse is any individual who is certified by the designated local agency as being (as of the hiring date) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces.