United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
Original Black History Month Resolution of 2023 This resolution recognizes the importance of Black History Month and encourages its continued celebration to raise awareness of the accomplishments of Black Americans.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
The original legislation awarding a historic Congressional Gold Medal, collectively, to Africans and their descendants enslaved within our country from August 20, 1619, to December 6, 1865 This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the enslaved persons collectively in recognition of their service as the greatest contributors to the foundation of America's economic greatness.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize Act of 20 23 This bill expands various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace. Among other things, it (1) revises the definitions of employee , supervisor , and employer to broaden the scope of individuals covered by the fair labor standards; (2) permits labor organizations to encourage participation of union members in strikes initiated by employees represented by a different labor organization (i.e., secondary strikes); and (3) prohibits employers from bringing claims against unions that conduct such secondary strikes. The bill also allows collective bargaining agreements to require all employees represented by the bargaining unit to contribute fees to the labor organization for the cost of such representation, notwithstanding a state law to the contrary; and expands unfair labor practices to include prohibitions against replacement of, or discrimination against, workers who participate in strikes. The bill makes it an unfair labor practice to require or coerce employees to attend employer meetings designed to discourage union membership and prohibits employers from entering into agreements with employees under which employees waive the right to pursue or a join collective or class-action litigation. The bill further prohibits employers from taking adverse actions against an employee, including employees with management responsibilities, in response to that employee participating in protected activities related to the enforcement of the prohibitions against unfair labor practices (i.e., whistleblower protections). Such protected activities include providing information about a potential violation to an enforcement agency, participating in an enforcement proceeding, initiating a proceeding concerning an alleged violation or assisting in such a proceeding, or refusing to participate in an activity the employee reasonably believes is a violation of labor laws. Finally, the bill addresses the procedures for union representation elections, provides employees with the ability to vote in such elections remotely by telephone or the internet, modifies the protections against unfair labor practices that result in serious economic harm, and establishes penalties and permits injunctive relief against entities that fail to comply with National Labor Relations Board orders.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2023
This resolution recognizes Black History Month as an important time to celebrate the unique contributions of all LGBTQI+ Black Americans in U.S. history.
United States · United States Congress · 24 February 2023
This bill redesignates the federal building located at 935 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest in the District of Columbia, commonly known as the J. Edgar Hoover Federal Building, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation Building.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
This resolution states that the House of Representatives holds the Russian government responsible for the illegal kidnapping of children from Ukraine and condemns these actions. The resolution also (1) declares that illegal adoptions are contrary to the Genocide Convention (the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide); (2) claims that Russia is attempting to wipe out a generation of Ukrainian children; and (3) asserts that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased the risks of children being exposed to human trafficking, exploitation, child labor, gender-based violence, hunger, injury, trauma, deprivation of education and shelter, and death.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
Democracy Is Strengthened by Casting Light On Spending in Elections Act of 2023 or the DISCLOSE Act of 2023 This bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosures of campaign expenditures, and requiring additional disclosures regarding certain political advertisements. Specifically, the bill expands existing foreign money prohibitions to include disbursements for paid web-based or digital communications and federal judicial nomination communications. It also prohibits foreign nationals from contributing to campaigns related to ballot initiatives and referenda. The Government Accountability Office must, for each four-year election cycle, study and report on the incidence of illicit foreign money in federal elections. Next, the bill makes it unlawful to establish or use a corporation, company, or other entity with the intent to conceal an election contribution or donation by a foreign national. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. Covered organizations (e.g., corporations, labor organizations, and political organizations) must, within 24 hours, file reports with the Federal Election Commission to disclose campaign expenditures of more than $10,000 during an election cycle. The bill also requires organizations to provide additional disclosures regarding political advertisements, including the donors who contributed the most money to that organization in the last year.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Act of 2023 This bill establishes the John Lewis Civil Rights Fellowship Program within the J. William Fulbright Educational Exchange Program (commonly referred to as the Fulbright Program). The fellowship program shall honor the legacy of Representative John Lewis and advance U.S. foreign policy priorities by promoting studies, research, and international exchange in the subject of nonviolent civil rights movements around the world. The Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board shall annually select qualified individuals to serve as fellows in the fellowship program. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs may determine the number of fellows for each year, with at least 25 fellows each year whenever feasible. Each fellow shall (1) work in an internship or research position with an approved organization in a country with an operational Fulbright U.S. Student Program, and (2) receive an award sufficient to cover the fellow's reasonable costs during the fellowship period and certain travel and lodging expenses related to the program.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes fines on individuals for soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
Federal Death Penalty Abolition Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the imposition of a death penalty sentence for a violation of federal law. It eliminates statutory authority for the death penalty as a sentencing option for federal offenses. It also requires a person who was sentenced to death before enactment of this bill to be resentenced.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
People Over Pentagon Act of 2023 This bill requires the amount authorized to be appropriated for the Department of Defense (DOD) for FY2024 to be $100 billion below the FY2023 funding level. In implementing the funding reductions, DOD must consider the recommendations in the Congressional Budget Office report titled Illustrative Options for National Defense Under a Smaller Defense Budget (October 2021). The bill also excludes the following DOD accounts from the reductions: (1) the Defense Health Program, (2) military personnel accounts, and (3) civil service pay and benefit accounts.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
Department of Peacebuilding Act of 2023 This bill establishes a Department of Peacebuilding in the executive branch, dedicated to peacebuilding, peacemaking, and the study and promotion of conditions conducive to both domestic and international peace and a culture of peace. The mission of the department includes the cultivation of peace and peacebuilding as a strategic national policy objective and development of policies that promote national and international conflict prevention, nonviolent intervention, mediation, peaceful conflict resolution, and structured conflict mediation. The department shall collaborate with others to promote personal and community security and peace by supporting policies to address personal and family violence, including suicide; reduce drug and alcohol abuse; and create, through local community initiatives, peace projects that facilitate conflict resolution and healing of societal wounds. A Federal Interagency Committee on Peace is established to coordinate the actions of the department with other federal agencies. The Department of Defense and the Department of State must consult with the department concerning nonviolent means of conflict resolution when a conflict between the United States and any other government or entity is foreseeable, imminent, or occurring. The department shall encourage citizens to observe and celebrate the blessings of peace and endeavor to create peace on Peace Days.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
Outdoors for All Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to establish an outdoor recreation legacy partnership grant program under which Interior may award grants to states, certain political subdivisions of a state, special purpose districts, Indian tribes, or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian communities or organizations. Funds must be used for projects to (1) acquire land and water for parks and other outdoor recreation purposes in qualifying areas, and (2) develop new or renovate existing outdoor recreation facilities that provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public in qualifying areas. Qualifying area means an urbanized area or urban cluster that has a population of 25,000 or more in the most recent census, two or more adjacent urban clusters with a combined population of 25,000 or more in the most recent census, or an area that is administered by an Indian tribe or an Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian community organization. Interior shall give priority to projects that create or significantly enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in an urban neighborhood or community, engage and empower underserved communities and youth, provide opportunities for employment or job training for youth or underserved communities, establish or expand public-private partnerships, and take advantage of coordination among various levels of government.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
Delivering Essential Protection, Opportunity, and Security for Tenants Act or DEPOSIT Act This bill provides access to rental security deposit and moving cost assistance for participants in certain low-income housing programs. Specifically, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must provide public housing agencies (PHAs) funding for rental security deposit assistance for families in Section 8 tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) programs (i.e., the Housing Choice Voucher Program). Upon tenancy termination, any unused security deposit amounts must be returned to a PHA to remain available for use as security deposits. HUD may also provide funding to PHAs to provide assistance with reasonable moving costs for families moving into an assisted dwelling unit. Under current law, security deposit assistance (i.e., loans or grants) is available in the HOME Investment Partnerships Program for families participating in a TBRA program. This bill expands access to security deposit assistance by allowing participating jurisdictions to provide these loans or grants to very low- and low-income families regardless of participation in a TBRA program. In addition, HUD must study and report on (1) alternatives to rental housing security deposits, including requiring a tenant to pay a monthly insurance premium; and (2) the impact that such alternatives have on the rental housing market and tenants, including how such alternatives affect tenants based on tenant demographics (e.g., race, age, sex, and disability).
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to enter into an agreement to obtain a statue of Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress. The committee shall place the statue in a permanent public location in the U.S. Capitol.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, including election as the first African American woman in Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Social Security Expansion Act This bill increases benefits and certain taxes related to the Social Security program. Changes to benefits include (1) increasing the primary insurance amount for certain beneficiaries; (2) revising the method of calculating cost-of-living adjustments; (3) establishing a new minimum benefit for certain low earners; and (4) allowing certain children of retired, deceased, or disabled workers to receive benefits until age 22 if they are a full-time student. Changes to taxes include (1) increasing the net investment income tax and making active trade or business income subject to this tax; and (2) extending payroll taxes on wages, salaries, and self-employment earnings to income above $250,000 (the maximum amount subject to the Social Security payroll tax is currently $160,200 for 2023). The bill also combines the existing Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund into a single Social Security Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Aviation Noise and Emissions Mitigation Act This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish pilot grant programs to measure and mitigate aircraft and airport noise and emissions (e.g., greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants) in communities near airports and air flight pathways.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Aviation-Impacted Communities Act This bill addresses noise mitigation for aviation-impacted communities. ( Aviation-impacted community is defined as a community that is located not more than one mile from any point at which a commercial or cargo jet route is 3,000 feet or less above ground level.) Specifically, the bill expands Airport Improvement Program noise mitigation program funding for aviation-impacted communities that are not currently within the 65 day-night average sound level (DNL) standard; requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study that summarizes the relevant literature and studies done on aviation impacts worldwide and focuses on large hub commercial airports and surrounding communities, including communities currently outside of the 65 DNL contour; directs the FAA to conduct outreach to aviation-impacted communities to inform them of the opportunity to be a designated community; requires the FAA to devise an action plan that alleviates or addresses the concerns of a designated community; and provides grants for necessary noise mitigation in a designated community for residences, hospitals, nursing homes, adult or child day care centers, schools, and places of worship.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Big Oil Windfall Profits Tax Act This bill imposes an excise tax on the windfall profits of crude oil on taxpayers who extracted and imported more than 300,000 barrels (a barrel equals 42 U.S. gallons) of taxable crude oil (i.e., crude oil, crude oil condensates, and natural gasoline) in 2019, or who extracted and imported that amount in the current calendar quarter. The bill requires rebates of the tax collected to be paid to individual taxpayers. The bill establishes the Protect Consumers from Gas Hikes Fund to finance such rebates.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
American Opportunity Accounts Act This bill establishes tax-exempt American Opportunity Accounts to provide children at birth with a $1,000 savings account with annual contributions up to $2,000 depending on family income. The accounts are available to children at age 18 for specified purposes, including educational expenses, home ownership, and investment that provides long-term returns.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal to Dustoff crews (helicopter air ambulance crews) of the Vietnam War in recognition of their heroic military service.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Saving the Civil Service Act This bill generally prohibits changes to the classification of positions in the competitive service and excepted service unless certain conditions are met. (Competitive service positions are subject to competitive examination; excepted service positions are not subject to competitive examination and are instead subject to the specific requirements applicable to the schedule in which they are placed, which depends on the nature of the position.) Specifically, the bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in the excepted service as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules. Additionally, agencies may not (1) transfer occupied positions from the competitive or excepted service into Schedule C without the consent of the Office of Personnel Management, or (2) transfer employees in the excepted service to another schedule or transfer employees in the competitive service to the excepted service without employee consent. On October 21, 2020, former President Donald Trump issued an executive order that placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new schedule in the excepted service (Schedule F) instead of the competitive service. The order also required any such positions in the excepted service to be reclassified to Schedule F. The order was subsequently revoked by President Joe Biden.
United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2023
Prime Minister Golda Meir Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of Golda Meir, former Prime Minister of Israel, and the 75th anniversary of the United States-Israel relationship. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid to the American Friends of Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital Inc.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Stop the Wait Act of 2023 This bill allows individuals with disabilities to begin receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits in the month they become eligible for the benefits. It also allows these individuals to immediately enroll in Medicare if they cannot afford minimum essential coverage. (Under current law, an individual must generally wait 5 months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.)
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Taxpayer Research and Contributions Knowledge Act of 2023 or the TRACK Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to work with other federal entities to compile a public database of federal contracts, tax benefits, and other support for biomedical research and development. HHS must develop the database within one month and update it every two weeks. The bill sets out elements that must be in the database, including (1) the agency or other federal entity providing the support, (2) the entity receiving the support, (3) an itemized accounting of the support provided, (4) any associated clinical trial data, and (5) any medical products that were developed using the support and that are being brought to market.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Kids' Access to Primary Care Act of 2023 This bill modifies payments for Medicaid primary care services. Specifically, the bill applies a Medicare payment rate floor to Medicaid primary care services that are provided after the date of enactment of the bill and extends the payment rate to additional types of practitioners (e.g., obstetricians). The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must conduct a study on the number of children enrolled in Medicaid, the number of providers receiving payment for primary care services, and associated payment rates before and after the bill's implementation.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Heating and Cooling Relief Act This bill provides additional energy assistance to households, including heating and cooling assistance. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes through FY2032 and revises the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Under the existing program, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may award grants to states for assisting low-income households that pay a high proportion of their income for home energy. To be eligible under the existing program, households must have incomes which do not exceed the greater of an amount equal to 150% of the poverty level for their state or an amount equal to 60% of the state median income. The bill expands eligibility to households with incomes which do not exceed the greater of an amount equal to 250% of the poverty line as defined in the Community Services Block Grant Act or an amount equal to 80% of the state median income. In addition, the bill expands eligibility to households with a monthly energy burden of 3% or more per year. It also requires states to establish procedures to protect households receiving assistance under the program from energy shutoffs and certain late fees. In addition, the bill requires HHS and the Department of Energy to jointly carry out a program that awards grants to states and local governments for developing and implementing interagency plans to reduce energy burdens for eligible households with high home energy use. The plans must promote the reduction of energy from fossil fuels.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from requiring payment from a veteran for any contraceptive item that is required to be covered by health insurance plans without a cost-sharing requirement.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
This resolution expresses condolences to the families, friends, and loved ones of the individuals who were killed in the shooting in Aurora, Illinois, on February 15, 2019.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Supreme Court Ethics Act This bill establishes a new statutory requirement for the Judicial Conference of the United States to issue a judicial code of conduct for judges and justices of U.S. courts, including Justices of the Supreme Court. Currently, the Judicial Conference issues a code of conduct for judges of U.S. courts (but not for Justices of the Supreme Court). To enforce the code of conduct for Justices of the Supreme Court, the bill requires the Supreme Court to appoint an ethics investigations counsel. The ethics investigations counsel must adopt rules to enforce the code of conduct, including a process to receive public complaints of potential violations; investigate complaints; and issue an annual public report describing the complaints and the steps taken to address the complaints. Finally, the bill requires a Justice of the Supreme Court to publicly disclose the reasons for disqualifying himself or herself in a proceeding or the reasons for denying a motion to disqualify himself or herself in a proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Supreme Court Ethics, Recusal, and Transparency Act of 2023 This bill makes various changes related to the ethical standards, financial disclosure requirements, and recusal requirements that apply to Supreme Court Justices. Among the changes, the bill requires the Supreme Court to adopt a code of conduct for Justices and establish procedures to receive and investigate complaints of judicial misconduct; adopt rules governing the disclosure of gifts, travel, and income received by the Justices and law clerks that are at least as rigorous as the House and Senate disclosure rules; and establish procedural rules requiring each party or amicus to disclose any gift, income, or reimbursement provided to Justices. Additionally, the bill expands the circumstances under which a Justice or judge must be disqualified; and requires the Supreme Court and the Judicial Conference to establish procedural rules for prohibiting the filing of or striking an amicus brief that would result in the disqualification of a Justice, judge, or magistrate judge.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act This bill modifies the tax treatment of the foreign source income of domestic corporations. The bill includes provisions that modify calculations of the gross income of U.S. shareholders to include net controlled foreign corporation (CFC) tested income in the current taxable year; apply limitations on the foreign tax credit on a country-by-country basis; limit the tax deduction for the interest expense of a U.S. corporation that is a member of an international financial reporting group (i.e., a group that prepares consolidated financial statements according to generally accepted accounting principles or international financial reporting standards); modify the rules for the taxation of inverted corporations (i.e., U.S. corporations that acquire foreign companies to reincorporate in a foreign jurisdiction with income tax rates lower than the United States); and treat certain foreign corporations managed and controlled primarily in the United States as domestic corporations for tax purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Presidential Tax Transparency Act This bill requires the President, the Vice President, and certain candidates for President and Vice President to disclose federal income tax returns for the ten most recent taxable years. The returns must be disclosed to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which must make the returns publicly available after redacting information that is necessary for protecting against identity theft, such as Social Security numbers. If the tax returns are not disclosed to the FEC as required by this bill, the Internal Revenue Service must provide the returns to the FEC upon receiving a written request from the FEC.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2023
Equal COLA Act This bill revises the formula used to calculate the cost-of-living adjustment for annuities paid under the Federal Employees Retirement System.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2023
This resolution condemns Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor to Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh). The resolution calls on the U.S. government to work with international partners to deploy observers to explore opportunities for security and peaceful development. The resolution also calls on the President to (1) suspend military and security assistance from the United States to Azerbaijan, and (2) fully enforce a U.S. law prohibiting certain bilateral assistance to Azerbaijan until Azerbaijan takes demonstrable steps to cease all offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2023
American Teacher Act This bill establishes grants to increase the minimum salary of public elementary and secondary school teachers. It also authorizes a national campaign regarding the value of the teaching profession. First, the bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to award four-year grants to states and, through them, subgrants to local educational agencies to establish a minimum annual salary of $60,000 (to be adjusted annually for inflation) for these teachers. Second, the bill directs ED to award grants to eligible state educational agencies to provide cost-of-living adjustments to the annual base salary of teachers. Finally, the bill authorizes ED to carry out a national campaign to (1) increase awareness about the importance of teachers and the value of the teaching profession, (2) encourage secondary school and college students to consider teaching as a professional career, and (3) diversify the pool of individuals who enter the teaching profession.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2023
This resolution condemns the attack against Brazil's government institutions on January 8, 2023. The resolution opposes any attempt to overturn Brazil's 2022 election results and calls for the U.S. government to cooperate with requests for assistance from Brazilian authorities investigating the attack.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
Comprehensive Paid Leave for Federal Employees Act This bill provides paid family and medical leave to federal employees. Currently, federal employees are entitled to 12 weeks of administrative leave for one or more of the following reasons: (1) the birth of a child, (2) the adoption or foster care of a child, (3) the care of an immediate family member with a serious health condition, (4) inability to work due to a serious health condition, and (5) exigencies relating to an immediate family member's active duty service in the Armed Forces. However, of these reasons, employees are entitled to paid administrative leave only in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care of a child (i.e., parental leave). The bill provides 12 weeks of paid administrative leave for any of these reasons, and specifies that this leave is in addition to any annual or sick leave to which employees are entitled.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2023
Help Ensure Lower Patient Copays Act or the HELP Copays Act This bill requires health insurance plans to apply certain payments made by, or on behalf of, a plan enrollee toward a plan's cost-sharing requirements. Specifically, plans must apply third-party payments, financial assistance, discounts, product vouchers, and other reductions in out-of-pocket expenses toward the requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Preventive Health Savings Act This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), upon receiving a request from Congress, to determine if proposed legislation would reduce spending outside of the 10-year budget window through the use of preventive health and preventive health services. If CBO determines that the legislation would result in substantial spending reductions from the use of preventive health and preventive health services, a description and estimate of the spending reductions must be included in CBO projections.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2023 or the JOBS Act of 2023 This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Job Training Federal Pell Grant program. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education to award a job training Pell Grant to a student who does not have a degree; attends an institution of higher education (IHE); is enrolled in a career and technical education program at an IHE that provides 150 to 600 clock hours of instructional time over a period of 8 to 15 weeks and provides training aligned with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors (i.e., job training programs); and meets all other eligibility requirements for a Pell Grant. Additionally, the bill specifies that any period during which a student receives a job training Pell Grant counts toward that student's Pell Grant eligibility period.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Farm System Reform Act of 2023 This bill places a moratorium on large concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs); expands country-of-origin labeling; and expands requirements in the livestock, poultry, and meat markets. Specifically, under the bill, a large CAFO may not commence or expand operations and, after January 1, 2040, may not continue to operate. Further, the Department of Agriculture must provide grants to eligible animal feed operation (AFO) owners to pay off related debt and to transition the property to alternative agriculture activities. Integrators (certain individuals or entities that enter into arrangements with contract growers to raise and care for livestock or poultry at an AFO) that exercise substantial operational control of an AFO are liable and subject to civil action for an AFO's operation, including for dead animal and manure disposal, and for the discharge of air and water pollutants. The bill also expands country-of-origin labeling requirements to include beef, pork, and dairy products. Further, the bill expands requirements and prohibitions under the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921 in order to increase competition and transparency in the livestock, poultry, and meat markets, including by prohibiting the use of forward contract s (i.e., future livestock delivery to a packer) unless certain requirements are met, such as a firm base price and competitive bidding; establishing that a minimum of 50%, with exceptions, of a covered packer's daily volume of livestock slaughter must be purchased through spot market sales (i.e., the negotiated purchase or sale of livestock that meets specific pricing, timing, and competitive bidding requirements) from nonaffiliated producers; and providing USDA with additional enforcement authorities over live poultry dealers.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Ensuring Women's Right to Reproductive Freedom Act This bill prohibits anyone acting under state law from interfering with a person's ability to access out-of-state abortion services. ( Abortion services include the use of any drugs that are approved to terminate pregnancies and any health care services related to an abortion, whether or not the services are provided at the same time or on the same day as the abortion.) Specifically, the bill prohibits any person acting under state law from preventing, restricting, impeding, or retaliating against health care providers who provide legal abortion services to out-of-state residents, any person or entity who helps health care providers to provide such services, any person who travels to another state to obtain such services, any person or entity who helps another person travel to another state to obtain such services, or the movement in interstate commerce of drugs that are approved to terminate pregnancies. The Department of Justice may enforce this bill through civil actions; the bill also establishes a private right of action for violations.