Keeping Everyone Safe and Securing Lives by Emergency Readiness Act or the KESSLER Act This bill directs the President to develop a national strategy to ensure the health and safety of the U.S. civilian population in case of catastrophic incidents. Specifically, the President must develop and submit to Congress a strategy to provide for the basic needs of the civilian population that is impacted by catastrophic incidents in the United States; coordinate response efforts with state and local governments, the private sector, and nonprofit relief organizations; promote personal and local readiness and non-reliance on government relief during periods of heightened tension or after catastrophic incidents; and develop international partnerships with allied nations for the provision of relief services and goods. The President must issue a plan to implement and operationalize the strategy. The Department of Homeland Security shall lead a national exercise to test and enhance the operationalization of the implementation plan. The President must provide recommendations for (1) actions that should be taken to prepare the United States to implement the strategy, increase readiness, and address preparedness gaps; and (2) additional authorities that should be considered to more effectively implement the strategy.
Sponsored bills
Safeguarding Awards for Victims and Enforcement Settlements Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the federal government from entering into or enforcing a settlement agreement on behalf of the United States that provides for a payment to any person or entity other than the United States that is not a party to a dispute. The bill provides exceptions to allow certain payments, including those that (1) remedy actual harm (including to the environment) caused by the party making the payment, and (2) constitute a payment for services rendered in connection with the case.
This bill prohibits certain former employees of any intelligence community element from providing services related to intelligence, military, or internal security to the government of China, Russia, or a country that is a state sponsor of terrorism. Generally, this restriction shall apply to any employee, including any contractor or detailee, who had a level of access to sensitive information such that the relevant intelligence community element determines that such restrictions are necessary.
This resolution designates June 26, 2022, as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and expresses support for efforts to address substance use and prevent drug trafficking and production.
Bankruptcy Threshold Adjustment and Technical Corrections Act This bill modifies provisions related to small business reorganization bankruptcies and wage earner's bankruptcies. Specifically, the bill extends for two years the increase of the amount of debt allowed to be carried by debtors to qualify for small business reorganization bankruptcy and provides that this debt limit is subject to adjustment for inflation. Additionally, it provides that a small business debtor includes a debtor that is an affiliate of certain publicly traded companies. Further, it authorizes the bankruptcy trustee to operate the business of the debtor if the debtor ceases to be a debtor in possession. The bill also increases for two years the debt limit for individuals filing for bankruptcy under Chapter 13 (i.e., the wage earner's plan) and allows both secured and unsecured debt to count towards this single limit. (Currently, separate limits apply to secured and unsecured debt.)
Satellite Cybersecurity Act This bill addresses cybersecurity matters related to commercial satellite systems. Specifically, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) must maintain a publicly available clearinghouse of resources concerning the cybersecurity of commercial satellite systems. CISA must also consolidate voluntary recommendations for the development, maintenance, and operation of such systems. The recommendations must include measures to protect systems against cyber-related vulnerabilities, risks, and attacks. To the extent practicable, CISA must implement its activities as a public-private partnership. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study and report on (1) federal actions to support the cybersecurity of commercial satellite systems, including with respect to critical infrastructure sectors; and (2) federal reliance on such systems, including those owned or controlled by foreign entities. In carrying out its study and report, the GAO must coordinate with designated federal agencies.
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.
Maddy summaryThe Sea Turtle Rescue Assistance Act of 2022 establishes a federal grant program administered by the Secretary of Commerce to fund coordinated sea turtle rescue efforts along U.S. coasts. It provides $5 million annually (2023-2028) for grants to organizations that rescue, rehabilitate, and study stranded marine turtles, prioritizing groups with proven experience in these activities. Grants cover recovery, medical care, data collection, and facility costs directly tied to rescuing turtles, with funds distributed equitably based on historical stranding rates and conservation needs in designated coastal regions. The program aims to support existing rescue networks rather than create new government operations, directly benefiting coastal communities and marine conservation groups working with threatened or endangered sea turtle species.
Patent Trial and Appeal Board Reform Act of 2022 This bill modifies the authorities and procedures of the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), the body within the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) that decides administrative patent validity challenges and reviews (e.g., inter partes reviews and post-grant reviews). For example, the bill (1) authorizes the director of the PTO to review and set aside PTAB decisions, (2) modifies the time limits for filing such patent validity challenges at the PTAB, and (3) limits the institution of certain such challenges if the challenges are filed by the same petitioner and includes one or more of the same claims.
Supreme Court Police Parity Act of 202 2 This bill grants the Marshal of the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court Police the authority to protect any member of the immediate family of the Chief Justice, any Associate Justice, or any officer of the Supreme Court if the Marshal determines that such protection is necessary.