United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2023
Postal Police Reform Act of 2023 This bill removes certain restrictions on U.S. Postal Service (USPS) police officers to investigate criminal matters related to the USPS and postal mail.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2023
Original Fair Housing Resolution of 2023 This resolution expresses support for the goals and values of the 55th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act and for efforts to strengthen housing protections.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2023
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to establish a task force to examine matters relating to the mental health of members of the Armed Forces. The task force must submit a report to DOD that includes recommendations related to the mental health services provided to members of the Armed Forces. DOD must develop a plan based on the recommendations of the task force.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Living Donor Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits certain insurance carriers from discriminating against, and provides other protections for, living organ donors. Specifically, carriers may not deny, cancel, or otherwise impose conditions on policies for life insurance, disability insurance, or long-term care insurance based on an individual's status as a living organ donor. The bill also expressly specifies that recovery from organ-donation surgery constitutes a serious health condition that entitles eligible employees to job-protected medical leave. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must update educational materials on living organ donation to include information about the benefits of living organ donation and about access to insurance for living organ donors.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Election Mail Act This bill addresses the delivery and processing of election mail for federal elections, including by establishing certain standards for mail-in ballots. Specifically, the bill requires the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to ensure (to the maximum extent practicable) same-day processing of mail-in ballots, postmark each ballot, carry election mail (e.g., voter registration applications and mail-in ballots) as first-class mail that is free of postage, appoint an election mail coordinator at each area office and district office, and consult annually with Indian tribes regarding barriers to voting for eligible voters living on Indian lands. The bill prohibits the USPS, within 120 days of a federal election, from making any operational change that would restrict the prompt and reliable delivery of election mail. Each state and jurisdiction must provide with each mail-in ballot a return envelope with an intelligent mail barcode. This requirement does not apply to a state or jurisdiction that uses an alternative system that enables voters to track the ballot through the mail. The bill requires election officials to count mail-in ballots that are postmarked by election day and arrive within seven days after the election.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act of 2023 or the FAIR Act of 2023 This bill prohibits a predispute arbitration agreement from being valid or enforceable if it requires arbitration of an employment, consumer, antitrust, or civil rights dispute.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Restoring Artistic Protection Act of 2023 or the RAP Act of 2023 This bill limits the admissibility of evidence of a defendant's creative or artistic expression against the defendant in a federal criminal or civil case. The term creative or artistic expression means the expression or application of creativity or imagination in the production or arrangement of forms, sounds, words, movements, or symbols, including music, dance, performance art, visual art, poetry, literature, film, and other such objects or media.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Anti-Racism in Public Health Act of 2023 This bill establishes within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) a National Center on Antiracism and Health and a law enforcement violence prevention program. In particular, the new center must carry out various activities to address racism and its impact on health and well-being. This includes declaring racism a public health crisis, collecting and analyzing data, and administering research and grant programs. Additionally, the bill specifically directs the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, in coordination with the Department of Justice and other relevant stakeholders, to implement the law enforcement violence prevention program by conducting research and supporting other activities pertaining to law enforcement violence and public health.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Efficiency Act or the WISE Act This bill requires each state to use a certain percentage of funds it receives for capitalization of its clean water state revolving fund for projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements, or other environmentally innovative activities.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
National Center for the Advancement of Aviation Act of 2023 This bill establishes the National Center for the Advancement of Aviation to (1) develop a skilled and robust U.S. aviation and aerospace workforce; (2) serve as a national independent forum to support collaboration and cooperation between governmental, nongovernmental, and aviation and aerospace industry stakeholders regarding the advancement of the U.S. aviation and aerospace workforce; and (3) serve as a repository for research conducted by institutions of higher education, research institutions, or other stakeholders regarding the aviation and aerospace workforce, or related technical and skill development. The center must perform the following duties improve access to aviation and aerospace education and related skills training to help grow the U.S. aviation and aerospace workforce; support Armed Forces personnel and veterans seeking to transition to a career in civil aviation or an aerospace-related field through outreach, training, apprenticeships, or other means; and amplify and support the research and development efforts conducted as part of the National Aviation Research Plan and work done at the Federal Aviation Administration Centers of Excellence and Technical Centers regarding the aviation and aerospace workforce. Additionally, the center may issue grants to certain entities to, among other things, (1) establish new education programs that teach technical skills used in aviation maintenance; (2) establish scholarships, internships, or apprenticeships for individuals pursuing employment in the aviation maintenance industry; and (3) support outreach about educational opportunities and careers in the aviation maintenance industry.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Raise the Age Act of 2023 This bill establishes new restrictions on the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals under 21 years of age. Specifically, this bill makes it unlawful for a licensed gun dealer, importer, manufacturer, or collector to sell or deliver a semiautomatic center-fire rifle or semiautomatic center-fire shotgun that has (or has the capacity to accept) an ammunition feeding device with a capacity of more than five rounds to an individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under age 21. The prohibition does not apply if the individual under age 21 is a full-time law enforcement officer or active-duty member of the Armed Forces. The bill also requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report on the operation of its public access line, including a description of information sharing protocols and recommendations for improving such protocols.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Strengthen and Tackle Opportunities to Prevent Violence Act of 2023 or the STOP Violence Act of 2023 This bill allows funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program to be used to assist public assembly facilities in preparing for and protecting against mass violence.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Secure Background Checks Act of 2023 This bill extends federal restrictions on the receipt, possession, shipment, and transportation of firearms and ammunition to two new categories of persons: persons who fail to meet the minimum age requirements imposed by federal law and by the law of their resident state; and persons who are out-of-state residents and do not qualify for an exception, such as the temporary loan or rental of a firearm for lawful sporting purposes. Additionally, the bill imposes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both—on an individual who ships, transports, or receives a firearm or ammunition while under indictment for a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding 1 year.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
End Gun Violence Act of 2023 This bill extends federal restrictions on the sale or disposition of firearms and ammunition to a new category of persons: persons who have been convicted in any court of a violent misdemeanor within the preceding five years.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Prison Libraries Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Justice to establish a grant program to provide library services for incarcerated individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Ending Qualified Immunity Act This bill eliminates the defense of qualified immunity in certain civil actions for deprivation of rights. Qualified immunity is a judicially created doctrine that protects government officials from being held personally liable for constitutional violations. The bill provides that, under the statute allowing a civil action alleging deprivation of rights under color of state law, it shall not be a defense or immunity to any such action that (1) the defendant was acting in good faith or believed that his or her conduct was lawful at the time it was committed; (2) the rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution or federal laws were not clearly established at the time of their deprivation; or (3) the state of the law was such that the defendant could not reasonably have been expected to know whether his or her conduct was lawful.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Young Americans Financial Literacy Act This bill requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to award competitive grants to eligible institutions for the establishment of financial literacy education programs for young people and families. An eligible institution is a partnership among two or more of the following an institution of higher education; a state or local government agency specializing in financial education; a nonprofit agency, organization, or association; a financial institution; or another small organization. Authorized grant funded activities shall include developing and implementing comprehensive, research based, financial-literacy education programs for young people; designing instructional materials; developing and supporting the delivery of professional development programs in financial literacy education; improving access to, and dissemination of, financial literacy information for young people and families; developing educational programs to reduce student loan default rates; conducting ongoing research and evaluation of financial literacy education programs; and measuring the effectiveness of authorized activities. The grant program shall terminate after FY2025.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2023
Train Noise and Vibrations Reduction Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to develop and submit to Congress a report containing recommendations to reduce train noise and vibrations near homes and estimates of the costs and benefits of such recommendations.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
Puerto Rico Status Act This bill provides for a plebiscite to be held on November 2, 2025, to resolve Puerto Rico's political status. Specifically, such plebiscite shall offer eligible voters a choice of independence, sovereignty in free association with the United States, or statehood. The Puerto Rico State Elections Commission shall invite national and international election observers to ensure transparency and confidence in the electoral process, and carry out a nonpartisan voter education campaign through traditional paid media and make available at all voting locations voter education materials related to the plebiscites. All voter educational materials and ballots used to carry out this bill shall be made available in English and Spanish. The bill sets forth transition and implementation provisions for each choice offered in the plebiscite.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish standards for facilities holding non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) in its custody, phases out using non-DHS facilities for such purposes, and addresses related issues. The standards must comply with the American Bar Association's Civil Immigration Detention Standards. The DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) must conduct periodic unannounced inspections of each facility and take various actions against noncompliant facilities, including imposing fines, cancelling contracts, and closing facilities. DHS must report to Congress any death of an individual in its custody within 24 hours and conduct an investigation within 30 days that identifies policy changes that could reduce the likelihood of such a death. DHS may not contract with third parties to operate detention facilities or alternatives to detention programs and must terminate existing contracts within three years of the bill's enactment. The bill establishes that OIG facility inspection reports and contracts for an outside entity to operate a detention facility are records available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. DHS must maintain certain information relating to immigration-related detention, including the detained individual's location and whether the individual was separated from family. The bill provides for various requirements and procedures related to immigration-related detention, including (1) prohibiting DHS from detaining children, (2) imposing a presumption that a detained individual should be released, and (3) establishing that individuals in custody shall be subject to the least restrictive conditions. The bill also abolishes mandatory detention for asylum seekers.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act of 2023 This bill grants the National Taxpayer Advocate the authority to appoint counsel in the Office of the Taxpayer Advocate to report directly to the National Taxpayer Advocate.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
School Meals during School Closures Act This bill allows states or eligible service providers (e.g., school districts) to request a waiver of certain requirements to continue providing no-cost and reduced-cost meals to students during certain school closures. The Department of Agriculture may provide a waiver, with exceptions, to provide meals and meal supplements during a school closure due to a strike or other labor-management dispute; inclement weather, a natural disaster, a public health emergency, unsafe facilities, construction, or repairs; or other unanticipated events.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023
Green Energy for Federal Buildings Act This bill requires the federal government to increase the amount of renewable energy it consumes to 35% of its total electricity share by 2030, 75% by 2040, and 100% by 2050. In carrying out the requirement, the Department of Energy must seek to ensure that the federal government consumes renewable energy produced on-site at federal facilities, on federal lands, or on Native American lands.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023
Women in Aviation Advisory Board Act This bill establishes a Federal Advisory Committee on Women in Aviation. The committee must advise the Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration on matters related to the education, training, mentorship, outreach, recruitment, and retention of women in the aviation industry. Membership in the committee must include representatives from aviation-related manufacturers, commercial air carriers, general aviation operators, unmanned aircraft systems operators, airports, aviation training and maintenance providers, labor organizations, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations within the aviation industry.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023
Young Farmer Success Act This bill makes certain farmers or ranchers eligible for student loan forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. Under the PSLF program, the Department of Education must cancel the balance of interest and principal due on a borrower's Federal Direct Loans after the borrower makes 120 monthly loan payments while employed in a public service job. This bill broadens the definition of public service job to include a full-time job engaged in farm work as an employee or manager of a qualified farm or ranch.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023
Do No Harm Act This bill prohibits the application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) to specified federal laws or the implementation of such laws. Currently, RFRA prohibits the government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability, except in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest when using the least restrictive means. Under the bill, RFRA is inapplicable to laws or the implementation of laws that protect against discrimination or require the promotion of equal opportunity (e.g., the Civil Rights Act of 1964); require employers to provide wages, other compensation, or benefits, including leave; protect collective activity in the workplace; protect against child labor, abuse, or exploitation; or provide for access to, information about, referrals for, provision of, or coverage for any health care item or service. The bill prevents RFRA from being used to deny (1) goods or services the government has agreed to provide to a beneficiary of or participant in a program or activity funded by a government contract, grant, agreement, or other award; or (2) a person's full and equal enjoyment of a government-provided good, service, benefit, facility, privilege, advantage, or accommodation. In order for a person to assert a RFRA claim or defense in a judicial proceeding, the government must be a party to the proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023
EIDL Relief Act This bill provides temporary relief for certain borrowers of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) that were made in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Specifically, for one year, the Small Business Administration must reduce the interest rate and limit the monthly payment due for borrowers of these loans experiencing short-term financial challenges.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023
Tax Refund Protection Act This bill authorizes the Department of the Treasury to certify or decertify (for incompetence or willful misrepresentation) the practice of tax return preparers and impose fees on such preparers. It also authorizes Treasury to require tax return preparers to provide disclosures to person receiving tax return preparation services and regarding refund anticipation payment arrangements. Treasury may impose a penalty on tax return preparers who fail to make required disclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023 This bill eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2023 This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and benefits when there is a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse. Under the bill, a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs when (1) a bill providing appropriations for the Coast Guard for a fiscal year has not been enacted before the beginning of that fiscal year, and no joint resolution providing continuing appropriations for the Coast Guard is in effect; and (2) a bill providing appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for the fiscal year has been enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year, or a joint resolution providing continuing appropriation for DOD is in effect. If a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs, the bill provides appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and allowances for military members of the Coast Guard who perform active service or inactive-duty training; pay and benefits for certain civilian employees and contract employees; the payment of a death gratuity; payments for travel related to funerals, the dignified transfer of remains, and unit memorial services; and the temporary continuation of the basic allowance for housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard dying on active duty. The bill generally provides the appropriations to the Coast Guard until the earlier of the enactment of specified Coast Guard appropriations legislation, the termination of the availability of appropriations for DOD, or two weeks after the beginning of the Coast Guard-specific funding lapse.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act of 2023 This bill makes permanent the accelerated depreciation (seven-year recovery period) of motorsports entertainment complexes.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
Fairness to Freedom Act of 2023 This bill establishes a right to legal representation in certain immigration proceedings (e.g., removal and immigration bond hearings) at the government's expense for individuals who cannot afford representation. The bill also establishes various entities to facilitate such legal representation. Currently, individuals in these immigration proceedings may be represented by counsel but not at government expense. The bill addresses various issues related to such legal representation, including (1) the scope of the representation, (2) criteria for determining whether the individual is financially unable to afford representation, and (3) requirements relating to allowing the individual to meet with their lawyer and receiving relevant documents. Immigration proceedings may not commence until counsel has been appointed. The bill also establishes the Office of Immigration Representation to ensure that qualified individuals who cannot afford legal representation receive the representation as required by this bill. The office's duties shall include establishing (1) administrative regions throughout the United States, and (2) a local immigration representation board for each region. The local boards must, subject to the office's approval, develop and implement plans for providing legal representation under this bill. To provide such legal representation, the local boards may (1) establish one or more immigrant public defender organizations, (2) contract with existing community defender organizations, and (3) establish a panel attorney system. The bill establishes minimum funding requirements for the office.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
For the 99.5 Percent Act This bill imposes increased tax rates on decedent estates, gifts, and generation-skipping transfers. Estates with a value of over $1 billion are taxed at a 65% tax rate. The basic exclusion amount is reduced to $3.5 million. The bill increases (1) to $3 million the reduction in valuations of farmland for estate tax purposes and adjusts such increased amount for inflation, and (2) to $2 million the maximum estate tax exclusion for contributions of conservation easements. It also increases to 60% the applicable percentage for such exclusion. The bill requires (1) consistent basis reporting for property acquired by gift and transfers in trust, and (2) executors of estates and donors of gifts required to file a gift tax return to disclose to the Department of the Treasury, and to recipients of any interest in an estate or a gift, information identifying the value of each interest received. The bill sets forth estate valuation rules for certain transfers of nonbusiness assets and limits estate tax discounts for certain individuals with minority interests in a business acquired from a decedent. The bill expands rules for valuing assets in grantor retained annuity trusts to require that (1) the right to receive fixed amounts from an annuity last for a term of not less than 10 years and not more than the life expectancy of the annuitant plus 10 years, and that such fixed amounts not decrease during the first 10 years of the annuity term, and (2) the remainder interest have a value when transferred that is not less than the the greater of 25% of the fair market value of the trust property or $500,000. The bill also sets forth rules for the application of transfer taxes to a grantor trust (a trust in which the grantor retains control over the trust assets and has the right to receive income from the trust). The bill eliminates the generation-skipping transfer tax exemption for transfers to certain persons. The bill modifies the tax exclusion for annual gifts to eliminate the present interest requirement for such exclusion and to impose a new, aggregate per donor limit equal to twice the annual exclusion amount in effect for the taxable year. It also provides for a gross up of taxable gifts in specified calendar years. The bill defines executor for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2023
This resolution recognizes the importance of the Islamic faith and expresses deep respect for Muslims in the United States and worldwide in honor of Eid al-Fitr (the conclusion of Ramadan).
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2023
This resolution recognizes that Black women are experiencing high, disproportionate rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in the United States and that Black Maternal Health Week is an opportunity to deepen the national conversation about Black maternal health.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2023
Employee Profit-Sharing Encouragement Act of 2023 This bill denies the business tax deduction for the remuneration of highly-compensated corporate employees unless the corporation has average annual gross receipts of less than $25 million and maintains a plan for making qualified profit-sharing distributions to its employees. The bill defines qualified profit-sharing distributions as cash distributions under a written employer plan that gives employees who have been employed for at least one year a right to profit-sharing distributions and bases the amount of such distributions on the measure of the receipts, profit, revenues, or earnings of the employer.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2023
Safety From Violence for Healthcare Employees Act or the SAVE Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for knowingly assaulting or intimidating hospital personnel during the performance of their official duties in a manner that interferes with their performance of the duties or limits their ability to perform the duties. Additionally, the bill authorizes grants to reduce the incidence of violence at hospitals, including violence or intimidation against hospital personnel in the performance of their duties.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2023
Safe Step Act This bill requires a group health plan to establish an exception to medication step-therapy protocol in specified cases. A medication step-therapy protocol establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs are covered by a group health plan or a health insurance issuer. A request for such an exception to the protocol must be granted if (1) an otherwise required treatment has been ineffective, (2) such treatment is expected to be ineffective and delaying effective treatment would lead to irreversible consequences, (3) such treatment will cause or is likely to cause an adverse reaction to the individual, (4) such treatment is expected to prevent the individual from performing daily activities or occupational responsibilities, (5) the individual is stable based on the prescription drugs already selected, or (6) there are other circumstances as determined by the Employee Benefits Security Administration. The bill requires a group health plan to implement and make readily available a clear process for an individual to request an exception to the protocol, including required information and criteria for granting an exception. The bill further specifies timelines under which plans must respond to such requests.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2023
Community Broadband Act of 2023 This bill prohibits states from blocking the provision of broadband by public providers, public-private partnership providers, or cooperatively organized providers. Further, public providers and state or local entities participating in a partnership must administer applicable ordinances and rules without discrimination against competing private providers.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2023
This bill expresses the sense of Congress that (1) medication abortion is appropriately approved and regulated under federal law, and (2) federal law preempts any in-person dispensing requirements or telehealth restrictions with respect to medication abortion under state law.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2023
School Meals Expansion Act This bill expands eligibility for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the school lunch program. It also increases the reimbursement rate for schools under the CEP. (The CEP allows eligible schools, groups of schools, and school districts the option to offer breakfast and lunch at no cost to all enrolled students without collecting household applications.) This bill lowers the threshold for a school to participate in the CEP to an identified student percentage (ISP) of at least 25%, from 40%. The ISP is the percentage of students who are eligible for free school meals without a household application, primarily those who are directly certified through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill also increases the reimbursement multiplier for school meals to 2.5 from the current 1.6, effectively increasing the reimbursement rate for the CEP participating schools. The reimbursement multiplier is used to calculate how many meals will be reimbursed at the free meal rate. A higher multiplier means more meals will be reimbursed at this higher rate.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2023
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment providing that the rights protected and extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, such as corporations, shall have no rights under the Constitution and are subject to regulation. The amendment requires federal, state, and local governments to (1) regulate, limit, or prohibit election contributions and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures, to ensure equal access of citizens to the political process, regardless of economic status; and (2) require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed. Additionally, the judiciary is prohibited from construing the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment.