United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2023
Uniform Treatment of Custodial Assets Act This bill addresses the accounting treatment of certain assets, including digital assets, at financial institutions. For example, under the bill, federal regulatory entities are prohibited from requiring specified financial institutions to include as a liability on financial statements assets that are held in custody or safekeeping by the institution. This applies to assets associated with a cryptographic key held in custody or safekeeping by the financial institution. However, if cash held by an institution for a third party is commingled with the general assets of the institution, that cash may be treated as a liability.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2023
Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act This bill expands special education and related services for children and youth who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind. The bill establishes additional requirements for states to identify and evaluate children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, blind, visually impaired, or deafblind. A state's closure of a specialized school serving children who are blind or deaf shall count as a reduction of its financial support for special education and related services. The bill also authorizes support, including grants for training special education personnel, to be used in preparing individuals to become qualified teachers and early intervention specialists for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafdisabled, or deafblind. The bill establishes within the Department of Education the Anne Sullivan Macy Center on Visual Disability and Educational Excellence to better support students with visual disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2023
This resolution requests the Department of State to transmit to Congress a statement on human rights practices in Azerbaijan, including the steps the United States has taken to promote human rights in the region and an assessment of whether circumstances exist that necessitate a continuation of security assistance for Azerbaijan.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2023
Supporting Armenians Against Azerbaijani Aggression Act of 2023 This bill directs and authorizes certain actions aimed at supporting Armenia in its conflict with Azerbaijan. For example, the bill repeals presidential waiver authority that allows for certain foreign assistance to Azerbaijan; authorizes foreign military financing grants to Armenia for FY2024; requires the Department of State to submit a detailed strategy to Congress to ensure the durable security for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and a detailed report on alleged Azerbaijani atrocities in its attacks on Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh in 2022 and 2023; authorizes the State Department and USAID to implement activities related to development of Armenia's energy sector; requires the State Department to seek opportunities for partnership between U.S. and Armenian entities on science and technology; and requires the President to impose sanctions on certain Azerbaijani officials determined to have directed (1) operations instigating the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, (2) attacks on Armenia in September 2022, (3) the blockade of the Lachin corridor beginning in December 2022, or (4) attacks on Nagorno-Karabakh in September 2023.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2023
Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2023 This bill addresses harassment at institutions of higher education (IHEs). Specifically, the bill requires each IHE to include in its annual security report a statement of policy regarding harassment on the basis of a student's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, a medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth, a sex stereotype, and sex characteristics, including intersex traits), disability, or religion. In addition, the Department of Education may award grants to IHEs to initiate, expand, or improve programs to (1) prevent the harassment of students; (2) provide counseling or redress services to students who have been harassed or accused of subjecting other students to harassment; or (3) educate and train students, faculty, or staff to prevent harassment or address harassment if it occurs.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2023
Pay Our Military Act This bill provides continuing appropriations for military pay for any period during which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2024 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown). Specifically, the bill provides FY2024 continuing appropriations for the pay and allowances of (1) members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components, who perform active service or inactive-duty training during the period; and (2) civilian employees and contractors of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Department of the Navy) who are providing support to such members of the Armed Forces. If a government shutdown occurs, the bill provides the continuing appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment into law of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) January 1, 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2023
Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act or the MORE Act This bill decriminalizes marijuana. Specifically, it removes marijuana from the list of scheduled substances under the Controlled Substances Act and eliminates criminal penalties for an individual who manufactures, distributes, or possesses marijuana. The bill also makes other changes, including the following: replaces statutory references to marijuana and marihuana with cannabis , requires the Bureau of Labor Statistics to regularly publish demographic data on cannabis business owners and employees, establishes a trust fund to support various programs and services for individuals and businesses in communities impacted by the war on drugs, imposes an excise tax on cannabis products produced in or imported into the United States and an occupational tax on cannabis production facilities and export warehouses, makes Small Business Administration loans and services available to entities that are cannabis-related legitimate businesses or service providers, prohibits the denial of federal public benefits to a person on the basis of certain cannabis-related conduct or convictions, prohibits the denial of benefits and protections under immigration laws on the basis of an event (e.g., conduct or conviction) relating to possession or use of cannabis that is no longer prohibited under the bill, establishes a process to expunge convictions and conduct sentencing review hearings related to federal cannabis offenses, and directs the Government Accountability Office to study the societal impact of cannabis legalization.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2023
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights. A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if, during the previous 25 years: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state; 10 or more violations occurred, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself; or 3 or more violations occurred and the state administers the elections. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds regarding minority groups must preclear covered practices before implementation, such as redistricting. States and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices. The bill authorizes DOJ to require states or political subdivisions to provide certain documents or answers to questions for enforcing voting rights. The bill outlines factors courts must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices, such as the extent of any history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2023
Gun Suicide Prevention Act This bill prohibits manufacturers and retailers from selling firearms unless the firearm includes a label with the toll-free telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2023
No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act This bill denies employers a tax deduction for any expenditures incurred for attempting to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations or labor organization activities, such as elections, labor disputes, and collective actions. The bill requires employers to report on their attempts to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations and their activities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2023
Child Care Stabilization Act This bill provides additional funding through FY2028 for child care stabilization grants under which lead state agencies make subgrants to child care providers for personnel costs, facility costs, the purchase of personal protective equipment, and other costs related to providing child care services.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2023
No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act This bill denies employers a tax deduction for any expenditures incurred for attempting to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations or labor organization activities, such as elections, labor disputes, and collective actions. The bill requires employers to report on their attempts to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations and their activities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
9/11 Memorial and Museum Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to award to the nonprofit organization that operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City a one-time grant to be used solely for the purposes of the operation, security, and maintenance of the memorial and museum. As a condition of receiving the grant, the organization must provide for free admission to all facilities and museums associated with the memorial and museum for active and retired members of the Armed Forces, individuals who were registered first responders to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and family members of victims of such attacks; provide for dedicated free admission hours for the general public at least once a week; and allow for annual federal audits of its financial statements.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
Humane Cosmetics Act of 2023 This bill generally prohibits animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetic products, and it prohibits the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using animal testing, subject to civil penalties. These prohibitions begin one year after enactment. The bill specifies exceptions to these prohibitions, including if such animal testing (1) is conducted outside the United States to comply with a foreign regulatory authority; (2) is pursuant to a specified finding that there are no nonanimal alternatives to test the safety of a potentially dangerous cosmetic product or ingredient; (3) is of a product or ingredient for a drug or device subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or (4) is required for a noncosmetic purpose pursuant to a state, federal, or foreign regulatory authority. Further, no animal-testing evidence may be used to establish the safety of a cosmetic product or ingredient that is regulated by the FDA after the effective date of this bill, subject to limited exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
This resolution expresses support for the goals and ideals of PCOS Awareness Month. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is caused by a hormone imbalance. Symptoms can include infertility, weight gain, excess hair growth, and acne.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2023
Women's Business Centers Improvement Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes the Women's Business Center Program through FY2027, raises the cap on individual center grants, establishes an accreditation program for grant recipients, and revises the duties of the Office of Women's Business Ownership. Specifically, the bill modifies the Women's Business Center Program to enable the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide initial and continuation grants to eligible entities to operate women's business centers for the benefit of women-owned small businesses. The SBA must also publish standards for a program to accredit entities that receive grants from the Women's Business Center Program, and such entities' receipt of continuation grants shall be contingent upon their obtaining accreditation.
United States · United States Congress · 22 August 2023
Southeast Asian Deportation Relief Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the detention or removal of certain nationals of Vietnam, Cambodia, or Laos. Specifically, this protection from detention or removal shall apply to nationals of these countries who (1) entered the United States on or before January 1, 2008, (2) have continuously resided in the United States since entry, and (3) are subject to a final order of removal. Such individuals shall also receive employment authorization. The bill also directs the Department of Justice to grant motions to reconsider or reopen the case of any non-U.S. national who was ordered removed, deported, or excluded from the United States between April 24, 1996, and this bill's enactment and who otherwise satisfies the requirements for protection from detention or removal under this bill. For these individuals, the bill also waives certain requirements that typically apply to motions to reconsider or reopen, such as deadlines for filing such a motion. Further, the Department of Homeland Security must provide individuals covered by the bill with notice of the bill's provisions. The notice must include instructions for filing a motion to reconsider and reopen removal proceedings.
United States · United States Congress · 8 August 2023
Providing Essential Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies Act of 2023 or the PETSAFE Act of 2023 This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a pilot program to provide grants for mobile pet shelters during emergencies and major disasters. FEMA may provide funds to state, local, and tribal governments to establish a new pet shelter site that is a mobile unit, which may be a companion animal mobile equipment trailer, to be used in case of evacuation due to emergencies and major disasters. FEMA's authority to approve projects under this bill shall cease on January 1, 2029.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2023
Preserving Access to Home Health Act of 2023 This bill repeals certain payment adjustments for home health services under Medicare that are based on behavioral changes. It also requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to incorporate certain information into its evaluations of the financial performance and impact of home health agencies, including trends under Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and other payers with respect to home health services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2023
Working for Immigrant Safety and Empowerment Act of 2023 or the WISE Act of 2023 This bill expands eligibility for U nonimmigrant visas (victims of criminal activity) and addresses related issues. Generally, U visas are for victims of specified crimes (e.g., rape, trafficking, or domestic violence) who assist with the investigation or prosecution of the crime. The bill adds hate crimes, child abuse, and elder abuse as crimes that may qualify a victim for a U visa. Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must provide work authorization to U visa applicants, whereas currently DHS may grant work authorization but is not required to do so. The bill also eliminates the annual numerical cap on U visas. The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that certain individuals, including U visa applicants and T visa (victims of human trafficking) applicants, shall not be detained while the application is pending. Additionally, the bill provides immigration-related protections, such as by extending the admission period and providing work authorization, to the spouse or child of a nonimmigrant visa holder who subjected that spouse or child to battery or extreme cruelty. Further, the bill prohibits, with some exceptions for exigent circumstances, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or U.S. Customs and Border Protection from conducting immigration enforcement actions within 1,000 feet of a school, health care facility, place of worship, or other location specified in the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Visitor Visa Wait Time Reduction Act This bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress on the average waiting time to get a visitor visa interview at each diplomatic or consular post. For each post where the average waiting time is longer than 300 days, the State Department must temporarily reassign personnel at that post to shorten the waiting time.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act This bill transfers the administration of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus from the National Park Service to the General Services Administration (GSA) to facilitate leasing the campus to the District of Columbia. The GSA must lease the campus to the District for no consideration. The District may lease the campus for (1) stadium use; (2) commercial and residential development; or (3) recreational facilities, open space, or public outdoor recreation use. If the District uses the campus for commercial and residential development, the bill sets forth additional requirements, including requiring the District to (1) ensure that development does not adversely impact National Park Service lands, (2) designate at least 30 percent of the campus as parks and open space, and (3) provide parking facilities to accommodate the development.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act of 2023 or the SHINE for Autumn Act of 2023 This bill authorizes grants and establishes other programs to improve data collection on stillbirths. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may award grants for surveillance and data collection on stillbirths, and HHS must issue guidelines for health departments and vital statistics units concerning the collection of stillbirth data. HHS must also develop educational awareness materials about stillbirths and make them publicly available. Furthermore, HHS must implement a fellowship program to provide training in perinatal autopsy pathology and otherwise support research on stillbirths and fetal autopsies. The bill also requires HHS to issue a report with educational guidelines on stillbirths and stillbirth risk factors.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement for Animals Act of 2023 or the Better CARE for Animals Act of 2023 This bill modifies enforcement provisions under the Animal Welfare Act, including by allowing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to bring civil actions against violators of the act for appropriate relief, such as removing animals, revoking violators' licenses, or issuing civil penalties. DOJ must use the penalties to pay for the temporary care for animals pending the disposition of civil or criminal proceedings that allege violations of the act with respect to such animals.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Public Housing Fire Safety Act This bill creates a grant program, to be administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, for public housing agencies to install automatic sprinkler systems in certain public housing projects.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Democracy Restoration Act of 2023 This bill addresses the voting rights of individuals convicted of a criminal offense and the restoration of their voting rights. First, the bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence. Further, the bill provides for enforcement of, and remedies for violations of, the bill. In addition, it sets forth requirements for state and federal notification of individuals of the restoration of their voting rights. Finally, the bill prohibits federal funding of construction or improvement of a place of incarceration unless U.S. citizens incarcerated in that jurisdiction are notified, upon release, of their voting rights.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Tax Fairness for Workers Act This bill allows an above-the-line tax deduction for union dues and expenses. (An above-the-line deduction is subtracted from gross income and is available whether or not a taxpayer itemizes other deductions.) The bill also reinstates the miscellaneous itemized tax deduction for unreimbursed expenses attributable to the performance of services as an employee (Under current law, all miscellaneous itemized deductions are suspended through 2025).
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Rebuild America's Schools Act of 2023 This bill provides support for long-term improvements to public elementary and secondary school facilities. First, the bill sets forth allocations to states and establishes a need-based grant program for local educational agencies (LEAs) to improve school facilities. Further, the bill specifies allowable uses of grant funds, including carrying out major repairs, improving indoor air quality, and making facilities accessible to disabled individuals. Additionally, the bill requires LEAs that receive funds for new construction, modernization, or renovation projects to comply with hazard-resistance building codes and performance criteria under the WaterSense program of the Environmental Protection Agency. Further, the bill requires such LEAs to adopt certain green practices (environmental standards) and requires the use of iron, steel, and manufactured products that are made in the United States (Buy America). The bill restores school infrastructure tax credit bonds. The bill also sets forth reporting requirements, including annual reports on grant program projects and a report by the Government Accountability Office that requires a study of the geographic distribution of projects, the impact of selected projects on student and staff health and safety, and the accessibility of projects to high-poverty schools. The bill also establishes the Office of School Infrastructure and Sustainability within the Department of Education. Next, the bill extends through FY2028 the Impact Aid Construction program. Finally, the bill establishes a grant program to assist LEAs with repairing or replacing concrete foundations affected by pyrrhotite (an iron sulfide material linked to crumbling foundations).
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
This concurrent resolution opposes actions that undermine Israel's future as a Jewish, democratic state. The resolution expresses that democracy is at the core of the special relationship between the United States and Israel, and that Congress stands with all Israelis seeking to defend liberal democracy, judicial review, and independent political institutions.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Break the Cycle of Violence Act This bill establishes federal grant programs and related entities to support violence intervention initiatives. Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants for coordinated community violence intervention initiatives in communities disproportionately impacted by homicides and community violence. HHS must also establish several related entities, including an Office of Community Violence Intervention to administer programs and activities related to violence intervention; the Community Violence Intervention Advisory Committee to advise and assist the office and HHS; and the National Community Violence Response Center to provide training and technical assistance, coordinate research, and develop data collection policies. Additionally, the bill directs the Department of Labor to award grants for job training and workforce programs in communities disproportionately affected by gun violence to connect youth ages 16 to 24 to in-demand occupations.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
Lowering Drug Costs for American Families Act This bill expands the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program to include additional drugs and drugs that are covered under private insurance. It also extends certain rebate requirements for covered drugs under Medicare to drugs that are covered under private insurance. Current law requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate maximum prices for brand-name drugs that do not have other generic equivalents and that account for the greatest Medicare spending; the CMS must eventually negotiate the prices of 20 drugs that are covered under Medicare in 2029 and each year thereafter. The bill requires the CMS to negotiate the prices of 50 drugs beginning in 2029. It also applies the negotiated maximum prices under the program to drugs that are covered under private health insurance, unless the insurer opts out. The CMS, Department of Labor, and Department of Treasury must publish a list of insurers that choose to opt out; insurers must also publicly disclose their decision to opt out. Current law also requires drug manufacturers to issue rebates to the CMS for brand-name drugs without generic equivalents under Medicare that cost $100 or more per year per individual and for which prices increase faster than inflation. The bill extends these requirements to drugs that are covered under private insurance.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
This resolution condemns the Taliban’s ongoing human rights abuses against women and girls, members of religious and ethnic minorities, and members of other vulnerable groups in Afghanistan. It also encourages the Department of State to consider determining whether the Taliban have committed crimes against humanity in connection to their treatment of women and girls.
![Official portrait of Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/g000599_200.jpg)