United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Economic Opportunity for Border Communities Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to develop a national strategy for supporting economic opportunity in border communities. The goals of the strategy include increasing the number of jobs in border communities, strengthening U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing, reducing the costs of exports and imports, and increasing opportunities for workforce development. Border communities are municipalities located not more than 15 miles from a land port of entry.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Expanding Regional Airports Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish a grant program for general aviation and nonprimary commercial service airports to improve passenger and flight capacity. Grants may be used for (1) activities that improve passenger and flight capacity at the airport, including the expansion of passenger and property screening facilities, runway lengthening, hangar construction, and improving passenger facilities; and (2) costs incurred to comply with certain operational and security requirements. DOT must provide 3 to 10 grants per fiscal year to eligible airports (i.e., general aviation or nonprimary commercial service airports that serve a community with a population of at least 75,000).
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2023 This bill modifies the above-the-line tax deduction for the expenses of performing artists (including commissions paid to managers or agents) to provide for a phaseout of such deduction for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 ($200,000 for joint return filers). The $100,000 phaseout threshold is adjusted for inflation annually for taxable years beginning after 2023.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Farm Workforce Support Act of 2023 This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on the H-2A (temporary agricultural workers) visa program. The report must examine various issues, including (1) whether U.S. employers are increasingly reliant on the program, (2) any challenges in securing adequate and affordable housing for H-2A workers, and (3) compliance with the employment conditions of the program.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2023
Improving Mental Health Access for Students Act This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student-aid programs to share contact information for suicide prevention resources with students. If IHEs distribute student identification cards, then they must include on the cards phone numbers for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the Crisis Text Line, and a campus mental-health center or program. If IHEs do not create such cards, then they must publish the numbers on their websites.
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2023
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Rural and Remote Hiring and Retention Strategy Act of 2023 This bill requires the Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to issue a strategy and implementation plan to improve CBP's hiring and retention of individuals in rural or remote areas. Until the strategy and implementation plan are issued, DHS must periodically brief Congress and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on its progress. After receiving each DHS report, the GAO must submit to Congress an assessment of the effectiveness of the actions described in the DHS report.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
Fighting Inhumane Gambling and High-Risk Trafficking Act or the FIGHT Act This bill expands protections of animals provided under the Animal Welfare Act, including by prohibiting any (1) broadcasts from international, interstate, or intrastate sources of animal fighting ventures in the United States or U.S. territories; and (2) shipments or transport of certain mature roosters.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
Providing Resources and Occupational Training for Emotional Crisis and Trauma in 911 Act or the PROTECT 911 Act This bill establishes a grant program, and requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop resources, for addressing mental health conditions among public safety telecommunicators. These include 9-1-1 operators and other public safety personnel who are responsible for responding to requests for emergency assistance. Specifically, HHS must award grants to state, local, and regional emergency communications centers or nonprofits for behavioral health and wellness programs to prevent and mitigate job-related mental health issues among public safety telecommunicators. Additionally, HHS must develop and disseminate (1) best practices for identifying, preventing, and treating post-traumatic stress disorder among public safety telecommunicators; and (2) resources for educating mental health professionals about the workplace culture of, stressors and challenges experienced by, and therapies for treating mental health issues common to public safety telecommunicators.
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 · 19 April 2023
Local Farms and Food Act of 2023 This bill modifies the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, and the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). The bill reauthorizes LAMP through FY2028, provides additional funding for the program, and expands the program to include grants for food hubs. The bill defines a food hub as a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products to multiple buyers from multiple producers, who are primarily local and regional producers, to strengthen the ability of those producers to satisfy local and regional wholesale, retail, and institutional demands. Further, LAMP grants may also be used to support (1) the purchase of general purpose equipment, and (2) the logistics required for the redemption of federal nutrition benefits at farmers' markets. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish a simplified turnkey application project form for eligible entities, including food hubs, that request less than $100,000 and choose from the specific project categories of (1) direct-to-consumer projects, (2) local and regional food market and enterprise projects, and (3) general purpose equipment grants. The bill also reauthorizes and provides funding for the Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program through FY2028. Further, the bill amends the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program to increase the maximum federal cost share to 75% from 50%. Further, under the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program, USDA must establish a panel to review submitted grant applications and make recommendations.
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 · 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
Supporting Safety Net Hospitals Act This bill delays reductions to Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital (DSH) allotments until FY2026. (DSHs are hospitals that receive additional payments under Medicaid for treating a large share of low-income patients.)
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
WOlf and Livestock Fairness Act or the WOLF Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide emergency relief to producers of livestock with herds adversely affected by Mexican gray wolves. Additionally, the bill modifies USDA's Livestock Indemnity Program to increase the payment rate from 75% to 100% of the market value of the affected livestock.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2023
DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to establish the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program and establishes additional requirements for related existing programs. Among other activities, the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program shall conduct data collection and research on mental health, suicides, and attempted suicides of DHS law enforcement officers and agents; evaluate current mental health and resiliency programs within DHS components; promote education and training related to mental health, resilience, suicide prevention, stigma, and mental health resources; establish a Peer-to-Peer Support Program Advisory Council; and assist DHS components in developing a program to provide suicide prevention and resiliency support and training for families of DHS law enforcement officers and agents and for surviving families of officers and agents who have been lost to suicide. The bill requires DHS components to prioritize and improve their mental health and wellness programs. The DHS Workplace Health and Wellness Program must assess the effectiveness of DHS law enforcement health and wellness programs. Each DHS component must report to the program incidents of suicide involving law enforcement officers or agents. The bill sets forth confidentiality limitations on the publication and collection of personally identifiable information.
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
Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 20 2 3 This bill modifies, expands, and reauthorizes through FY2028 the Family Violence and Prevention Services program, which funds emergency shelters and supports related assistance for victims of domestic violence. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants and enter cooperative agreements with state and tribal domestic violence coalitions, and community-based organizations, to support prevention services. Depending on the type of organization, grant recipients must use funding to (1) provide technical assistance; (2) promote evidence-informed prevention strategies; (3) implement coordinated, community responses to reduce risk factors for family violence; and (4) develop prevention partnership strategies. Further, HHS must award specified grants to organizations that provide population-specific services in underserved communities and to community-based organizations that provide culturally specific domestic violence services to racial and ethnic minority groups. The bill also establishes a grants program for tribal domestic violence coalitions to support the provision of local, tribal, family domestic or dating violence services and requires HHS to award a grant for the administration of a hotline dedicated to serving Indians affected by domestic violence. In addition, the bill modifies certain program-wide definitions; changes the requirements for specified grant applications, eligibility criteria, and use of funds; and makes other technical revisions.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2023
Honoring Vocational Education Act This bill requires the Bureau of the Census to ensure that the Current Population Survey provides for a separate category of educational attainment for Postsecondary Nondegree Awardees. Postsecondary Nondegree Awardee is defined as an individual who has received a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent and a recognized postsecondary credential; and has not received an associate, bachelor's, master's, graduate, or professional degree.
United States · United States Congress · 13 April 2023
Tax Fairness for Disaster Victims Act This bill allows individual taxpayers living in a disaster area to use earned income from a preceding taxable year for purposes of calculating the earned income tax credit. The bill applies if current year income is disrupted by a disaster and is less than the income of the preceding taxable year.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2023
Doctors of Community Act or the DOC Act This bill reauthorizes and provides mandatory funding for graduate medical education programs operated by teaching health centers. The bill sets out funding levels through FY2033. Funding for FY2034 and beyond equals the preceding fiscal year's amount adjusted for medical inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2023
Special Diabetes Program for Indians Reauthorization Act of 2023 This bill extends funding through FY2028 for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians. The program is administered by the Indian Health Service and provides funds to Indian health programs for diabetes prevention and treatment.
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 · 6 April 2023
New Markets Tax Credit Extension Act of 2023 This bill makes the new markets tax credit permanent. It also modifies the credit to (1) provide for an inflation adjustment to the limitation amount for the credit after 2023, and (2) allow an offset against the alternative minimum tax for the credit (determined with respect to qualified equity investments initially made after 2022).
United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2023
BAH Restoration Act This bill increases the monthly amount of the basic housing allowance for members of the uniformed services inside the United States. Specifically, the monthly amount of allowance for a member must be the amount of the monthly cost of adequate housing in the area, as determined by the Department of Defense, for members of the uniformed services serving in the same pay grade and same dependency status as the member.
United States · United States Congress · 3 April 2023
Strengthening Medicare for Patients and Providers Act This bill modifies certain adjustments to payment amounts under the Medicare physician fee schedule. Payment amounts under the Medicare physician fee schedule are based on a service's relative value, a conversion factor, and a geographic adjustment factor. Current law provides for separate conversion factors for physicians that are qualifying participants in advanced alternative payment models (also known as qualifying APM participants) and for other physicians beginning in 2026, with an annual update of 0.75% and 0.25%, respectively. The bill replaces the separate conversion factors for qualifying APM participants and other physicians with a single conversion factor and provides for an update that is equal to the annual percentage increase in the Medicare Economic Index, beginning in 2024. (The Medicare Economic Index is a specialized index that is generally used to determine allowed charges for physician services based on annual price changes.)
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act This bill allows for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types, if the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services determines such coverage is appropriate.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Dental Care for Veterans Act This bill expands eligibility for veterans for dental care provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Specifically, the bill makes all veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system eligible for VA-provided dental services. Currently, only veterans who have a service-connected dental issue or meet other narrow criteria are eligible for certain dental services. The bill phases in eligibility over four years based upon existing eligibility, degree of service-connected disability or other disability, prisoner of war status, award of a Purple Heart, financial need, or VA health care eligibility.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Women's Health Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services. Before fetal viability, governments may not restrict providers from using particular abortion procedures or drugs, offering abortion services via telemedicine, or immediately providing abortion services if delaying risks the patient's health. Furthermore, governments may not require providers to perform unnecessary medical procedures, provide medically inaccurate information, or comply with credentialing or other conditions that do not apply to providers who offer medically comparable services to abortions. Additionally, governments may not require patients to make medically unnecessary in-person visits before receiving abortion services or disclose their reasons for obtaining services. After fetal viability, governments may not restrict providers from performing abortions when necessary to protect a patient's life and health. The same provisions that apply to abortions before viability also apply to necessary abortions after viability. Additionally, states may authorize post-viability abortions in circumstances beyond those that the bill considers necessary. Further, the bill recognizes an individual's right to interstate travel, including for abortion services. The bill also prohibits governments from implementing measures that are similar to those restricted by the bill or that otherwise single out and impede access to abortion services, unless the measure significantly advances the safety of abortion services or health of patients and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The Department of Justice, individuals, or providers may sue states or government officials to enforce this bill, regardless of certain immunity that would otherwise apply.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. Current law also provides for an additional increase of up to 200 positions for FY2026, with at least 100 of these positions for psychiatry or related specialties; each hospital may receive up to 10 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2025-FY2031; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. Additionally, one-third of the positions that are made available under the bill must be allocated to hospitals that are already operating above applicable resident limits. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2023
Combating Illicit Xylazine Act This bill criminalizes the illicit use of xylazine. (Xylazine, also known as Tranq , is a sedative that is approved for use in animals. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reported an increase in the trafficking of fentanyl mixed with xylazine.) Specifically, the bill establishes criminal penalties for manufacturing, distributing, or dispensing, or possessing with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense, xylazine for illicit use (i.e., for use in humans) in accordance with the penalties for schedule III substances (up to 10 years imprisonment or, if death or serious bodily injury occurs, up to 15 years imprisonment, as well as criminal fines). In addition, the DEA must coordinate with the Food and Drug Administration to report on the prevalence of the illicit use of xylazine, including associated supply chains. The bill also declares the illicit use of xylazine as an emerging drug threat.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2023
International Human Rights Defense Act of 2023 This bill establishes in the Department of State a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex) Peoples who shall serve as the principal State Department advisor regarding human rights for LGBTQI+ people and represent the United States in diplomatic matters relevant to the human rights of LGBTQI+ people. The special envoy shall periodically provide Congress with a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development may provide assistance to prevent and respond to such activities against LGBTQI+ people. The bill also requires that specified annual country reports on human rights practices include information on criminalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2023
Aviation Workforce Development Act This bill expands the qualified tuition program (commonly referred to as 529 plans) to allow distributions to pay education-related expenses required for participation in certain aviation maintenance and commercial pilot courses.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2023
This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to Billie Jean King in recognition of her courageous and groundbreaking leadership in advancing equal rights for women in athletics, education, and society.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2023
Block the Use of Transatlantic Technology in Iranian Made Drones Act This bill requires plans to prevent Iran from acquiring certain technologies related to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). The bill requires the Department of Commerce to develop a strategy to supplement the existing U.S. sanctions regime against Iran by preventing the export to Iran of certain technologies (including microcontrollers, voltage regulators, and microprocessors) that can be used in the development and employment of UAS. The Department of State must develop a strategy to engage with European and Asian allies and partners to prevent the export of these technologies to Iran by such allies and partners. The Department of Defense must develop a range of options that may be employed by the U.S. Armed Forces to counter or deny the ability of Iran to acquire these technologies, computer-aided design software, and computer numerical control machines.
United States · United States Congress · 27 March 2023
Reforming Broadband Connectivity Act of 2023 This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to make changes to the financing of the Universal Service Fund. This fund, which is financed by fees contributed by telecommunications carriers, supports programs to expand the availability of and access to telecommunications services. Specifically, the bill directs the FCC to (1) study the need for expanding the fund's contribution base to ensure fairness and equity in applicable contribution requirements, and (2) reform the fund's contribution system through rulemaking. In carrying out the rulemaking, the FCC must consider the findings and recommendations of its study and the impact of changes on consumers, businesses, and seniors.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2023
VA Emergency Transportation Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to reimburse a veteran for the reasonable value of emergency transportation by a non-VA provider (1) to a facility for emergency treatment, or (2) from a non-VA facility where the veteran was treated to a VA or other federal facility for additional care.
United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2023
Goldie's Act This bill expands enforcement provisions under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to document and record detailed descriptions of violations of the act observed during inspections and investigations. USDA must provide a copy of all records documenting violations to state, local, and municipal animal control or law enforcement officials within 24 hours of such inspections or investigations. Inspections must be held at least once a year of each research facility, the premises of each animal dealer, and each exhibitor of animals. If violations are found during inspections, then USDA must conduct any necessary follow-up inspections until all the violations are corrected. Inspectors must confiscate or destroy in a humane manner animals found to be suffering physical or psychological harm as a result of failure to comply with the AWA. Violators are subject to civil penalties as outlined in the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023
Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act This bill expands Medicare coverage to permanently include services provided by a pharmacist, including incidental services and supplies, related to testing, vaccines, and treatment for COVID-19, influenza, and certain other illnesses. Specifically, the bill provides for continued coverage of pharmacist services relating to evaluation and management of patients for testing and treatment for COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat), as well as vaccines for pneumococcal disease, COVID-19, influenza, or hepatitis B. It also generally provides for coverage of pharmacist services during a public health emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023
Dairy Pricing Opportunity Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to hold national hearings to review Federal Milk Marketing Orders. (USDA uses these orders to establish a minimum price for various classes of milk.) The hearings must include the review of proposals from producers and the dairy industry on the price of Class I skim milk. The bill also requires manufacturers to report cost and yield information for all dairy products processed in the same facility or facilities to USDA's Dairy Product Mandatory Reporting Program. Further, every two years, USDA must publish a report containing the information obtained under these new requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023
Military Family Nutrition Act of 2023 This bill excludes military housing allowances from income when determining eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023
Military Food Security Act of 2023 This bill modifies how gross household income is calculated for purposes of determining a servicemember's eligibility for a basic needs allowance (i.e., a supplemental monthly payment for basic needs) from the military department concerned. Under the bill, gross household income is calculated by subtracting the basic housing allowance paid to any servicemember from their household income.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2023 This bill extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) to certain public safety officers who suffer from exposure-related cancer while on duty and their survivors. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty and their survivors. The bill specifies that exposure-related cancer shall be presumed to constitute a personal injury in the line of duty if the public safety officer was exposed to or in contact with heat, radiation, or a carcinogen that is linked to an exposure-related cancer; the officer began serving as an officer not later than 5 years before the date of the diagnosis of an exposure-related cancer and the diagnosis occurred not later than 15 years after the last date of active service; and the exposure-related cancer directly and proximately resulted in the death or permanent and total disability of the officer. The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) must periodically review the definition of exposure-related cance r. It directs the BJA to add additional cancers to the definition under certain circumstances (e.g., a petition process).
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
Healthy Drinking Water Affordability Act or the Healthy H2O Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a program under which USDA awards grants for improving the quality of drinking water in certain rural areas. Grants may be given to individuals or entities, such as home owners, renters, and licensed child-care facilities, that have demonstrated the presence of one or more health contaminants in their drinking water. Grants may also be given to nonprofit organizations to help individuals and entities test their water, analyze the results of the tests, and reduce the contamination.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
American Families United Act This bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) to exercise discretion in certain immigration cases. Under this bill, DOJ or DHS may, on a case-by-case basis, exercise discretion by declining to remove a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) or bar an alien from entering the United States to prevent hardship for the alien's U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child. This discretion may also be exercised if the alien is the spouse or child of a deceased U.S. citizen. For the purposes of this bill, it shall be presumed that family separation constitutes hardship. However, DOJ or DHS may not exercise this discretion if the alien is removable or inadmissible due to certain grounds, including specified crime- and security-related grounds. This exercise of discretion may be applied to an alien who was ordered removed or denied entry prior to this bill's enactment if the alien files a motion to reopen or reconsider within two years of this bill's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2023
Puppy Protection Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Agriculture to expand standards that govern the humane handling, care, treatment, and transportation of animals to include new requirements for commercial dog dealers. Specifically, the standards must require dog dealers to provide to dogs adequate housing, exercise, and veterinary care; appropriate and nutritious food; continuous access to potable water; and meaningful socialization with humans and compatible dogs for at least 30 minutes each day. The standards must also include requirements for breeders to use safe breeding practices and make all reasonable efforts to find humane placement for retired breeding dogs.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2023
Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2023 This bill expands Medicare coverage of chiropractic services to include all services provided by chiropractors, rather than only subluxation corrections through manual manipulation of the spine.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2023
This bill designates the clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Gallup, New Mexico, as the Hiroshi "Hershey" Miyamura Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic or the Hiroshi "Hershey" Miyamura VA Clinic.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2023
M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act This bill designates specified segments of rivers and creeks of the Gila River system in New Mexico as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System and transfers 440 acres of land from the Gila National Forest to the Gila Cliff Dwellings Monument. The Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture must consult with tribal governments, applicable political subdivisions of states, and the public when preparing the comprehensive management plan for such segments pursuant to the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Any nonfederal land within or adjacent to such a segment that is acquired by the United States shall be incorporated in, and be administered as part of, the applicable segment. No land or interest in land shall be acquired without the owner's consent. The Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture may authorize the construction of a native fish habitat restoration project (including any necessary fish barriers) within a covered segment if the project would enhance the recovery of a threatened or endangered species, a sensitive species, or a species of greatest conservation need, including the Gila Trout; and would not unreasonably diminish the free-flowing nature or outstandingly remarkable values of the covered segment. A native fish habitat restoration project located within an area designated as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System shall be constructed consistent with the Wilderness Act and the applicable wilderness management plan.
![Official portrait of Rep. Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/v000136_200.jpg)