United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Recoupment Act This bill extends the time period when a state must recover improperly paid pandemic unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and bring related criminal charges or enforcement actions to 10 years. The bill also adds certain recovery requirements to two pandemic UI programs—Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and Lost Wages Assistance (LWA)—that match the requirements of other pandemic UI programs. Specifically, the state must (1) repay itself by deducting the PUA or LWA funds from any UI benefits a recipient may later qualify to receive; and (2) ensure the recipient is provided with notice, a hearing, and a final determination.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Finish It Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a plan (within 15 days after the bill is enacted) to utilize, transfer, or donate to states all existing excess border wall construction materials to construct a permanent physical barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. If DOD delays in submitting or executing the plan, the travel budget of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy must be decreased by 1% for every two days of delay. DOD must work with the Defense Logistics Agency to execute the plan until DOD is no longer incurring any costs to maintain, store, or protect the excess materials. Any state requesting border wall construction materials must certify, in writing, that the materials will be used exclusively for the construction of a permanent physical barrier to stop illicit human and vehicle trafficking along the border. If a state does not use all such materials for the specified purpose within two years of receiving the materials, the state must pay the federal government an amount equal to the original purchase price of the materials.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
This resolution honors and recognizes the patriotism and contributions made by generations of veterans service organizations, veteran advocacy groups, and volunteers and commends the members of such organizations for their dedicated service to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, their families, and their communities. The resolution also encourages the people of the United States to promote awareness of the contributions and dedication of members of veterans service, organizations, veteran advocacy groups, and volunteers to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. Additionally, the resolution calls on citizens to follow the example of such groups and volunteer support and services to those who have served the country.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1106 Main Street in Bastrop, Texas, as the "Sergeant Major Billy D. Waugh Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
This bill nullifies requirements for a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) to receive a COVID-19 vaccine as a condition of receiving certain immigration benefits (e.g., receiving a visa or obtaining lawful permanent resident status). Specifically, this bill nullifies such requirements imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Department of Homeland Security.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Trucking Workforce Improvement Act This bill repeals the final rule of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that established new minimum training standards for entry-level commercial motor vehicle operators.
United States · United States Congress · 6 July 2023
Freeing Americans Detained Abroad Act This bill requires the Department of State to dedicate resources to assist U.S. citizens detained or kidnapped overseas. The State Department must display, on a public website, a list of resources (including legal services offered pro bono or with payment) that U.S. citizens detained or kidnapped overseas may be eligible to receive; train all Foreign Service officers posted overseas on identifying and assisting detained and arbitrarily detained U.S. citizens; and designate at least one Foreign Service officer at each overseas diplomatic or consular post as a hostage affairs officer.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2023
U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic Act This bill designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Plano, Texas, as the U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson Memorial VA Clinic.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2023
Healthy SNAP Act of 2023 This bill amends the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to redefine the foods eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. SNAP benefits may not be used for soft drinks, candy, ice cream, or prepared desserts, such as cakes, pies, cookies, or similar products. Further, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must designate by regulation foods and food products to include in the SNAP definition of the term food . USDA must consider food and products that (1) based on nutrition research, contain nutrients lacking in the diets of people in the United States; and (2) promote the health of the population served by SNAP, based on relevant nutrition science, public health concerns, and cultural eating patterns. USDA must also, to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that the fat, sugar, and salt content of the food and food products are appropriate. At least every five years, USDA must review and amend the list. Prepared meals purchased with SNAP benefits must have nutritional values consistent with standards developed by USDA for the list of food and food products. A state agency may substitute different foods for food USDA designated under this bill, with USDA approval, so long as the foods are nutritionally equivalent; this is permitted to allow for different cultural eating patterns.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2023
Assuring that Robust, Thorough, and Informed Congressional Leadership is Exercised Over National Emergencies Act or the ARTICLE ONE Act This bill terminates a presidential declaration of a national emergency after 30 days if Congress does not pass a joint resolution approving the declaration. Currently, such a declaration may continue until Congress passes a joint resolution disapproving the declaration. The bill requires the President to transmit to Congress, with any proclamation declaring a national emergency or executive order specifying emergency powers or authorities or renewing a national emergency, a written report that includes a description of the circumstances necessitating the declaration, renewal, or use of a new emergency authority specified in the executive order; the estimated duration of the emergency, or a statement that the duration cannot reasonably be estimated; a summary of the actions the President or other officers intend to take and the statutory authorities they expect to rely on in addressing the emergency; and in the case of a renewal of the emergency, a summary of the actions the President or other officers have taken in the preceding one-year period to address the emergency. The bill requires periodic reports on the status of emergencies.
United States · United States Congress · 31 May 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau titled Small Business Lending under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B) and published on May 31, 2023. The rule requires financial institutions to collect and report to the bureau credit application data for small businesses. On July 31, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ordered the bureau not to implement or enforce the rule until a related pending case is resolved.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Biden Time Act of 2023 This bill rescinds certain unobligated funds that were provided to address COVID-19 and for activities of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Specifically, the bill rescinds unobligated funds that were provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021; the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020; the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act); the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act; and Divisions M and N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021. The bill also rescinds specified unobligated funds that were provided for activities of the IRS by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2023
No ESG at TSP Act This bill prohibits investments under the Thrift Savings Plan in mutual funds that are based on environmental criteria (e.g., emissions standards), social criteria (e.g., company diversity), political criteria (e.g., political affiliations), or corporate governance criteria that differ from the standards that currently apply under law.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Fiscal State of the Nation Resolution This concurrent resolution requires the congressional budget committees to conduct an annual joint hearing to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General regarding (1) the Government Accountability Office's audit of the financial statement of the executive branch, and (2) the financial position and condition of the federal government.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule that requires all new motor vehicles to have devices that can access AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment. (AM broadcast stations are often used to deliver emergency alerts and news and entertainment programming; some newer vehicles do not include AM equipment.) Specifically, this bill applies to motor vehicles manufactured in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce after the rule's effective date. The DOT rule must require all such vehicles to have devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations or digital audio AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment. Prior to the effective date of the rule, manufacturers that do not include devices that can access AM broadcast stations as standard equipment must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling. DOT may assess civil penalties against any manufacturer that fails to comply with the mandate. The Department of Justice may also bring a civil action to enjoin a violation. Further, the Government Accountability Office must study and report on whether a reliable alternative communication system exists for delivering emergency alerts and consider the (1) cost to drivers and passengers of receiving communications through an alternative system, and (2) cost and time required to develop and implement an alternative.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Housing Promotes Livelihood and Ultimate Success Act of 2023 or the Housing PLUS Act of 2023 This bill modifies the requirements under which the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must award grants under the Continuum of Care Program, which provides funding for nonprofit providers and state and local governments to quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families. Specifically, the bill bars HUD from prohibiting, limiting, or restricting Continuum of Care grants to recipients that (1) require program participants to receive supportive services, (2) require program participants to be sober or drug-free, or (3) are faith-based organizations. The bill also requires that at least 30% of Continuum of Care grant funds be set aside for eligible grant recipients that provide or offer access to wraparound services.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act This bill repeals the inclusion of any Social Security or tier I railroad retirement benefits in gross income for income tax purposes. The bill also (1) appropriates funds to cover reductions in transfers to the Social Security and Railroad Retirement Trust Funds resulting from the enactment of this bill, and (2) expresses the sense of Congress against using tax increases to provide revenue necessary to carry out this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2023
Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-wheelers Act or the DRIVE Act This bill prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from issuing any rule or regulation to require vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight of more than 26,000 pounds and are operating in interstate commerce to be equipped with a speed limiting device set to a maximum speed. The FMCSA issued an advance notice of supplemental proposed rulemaking on this subject on May 4, 2022.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2023
Teachers Empowered Against Classroom Harm Act of 2023 or the TEACH Act of 2023 This bill addresses school safety and security, including by expanding access to firearms for certain individuals and providing grants for defensive training programs. Current law prohibits the use of federal elementary and secondary education funds to provide any person with a dangerous weapon or training in the use of a dangerous weapon. The bill removes this prohibition. Next, the bill broadens the authority for certain individuals to carry firearms in a school zone. Specifically, the bill exempts individuals authorized by state law to carry firearms from the federal prohibition on possessing a firearm in a school zone. Further, the bill prohibits the Department of Education (ED) from disbursing or obligating funds for states, local governments, or eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies or private schools) that restrict (in excess of federal law) the possession of firearms within school zones. Additionally, the bill directs ED to obligate certain reserved funds (i.e., funds reserved for technical assistance and capacity building) for a grant program. In particular, ED must award grants to enable eligible entities (e.g., local educational agencies or private schools) to participate in defensive training programs designed to protect schools from armed intruders. ED must fully obligate these funds for awarding grants and failure to do so shall result in a hiring freeze for ED.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
This resolution urges the House of Representatives to recognize Robert Aitken's Bible (the first known English-language Bible to be printed in North America) as a historical document of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Responsible Borrower Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) from implementing their January 2023-announced changes to the single-family pricing framework for fees on purchase, rate-term refinance, and cash-out refinance loans. The changes revise the fee charts that provide percentage adjustments based on a borrower's credit score and other factors.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act or the PRIME Act This bill exempts from federal inspection requirements animals and meats that are slaughtered and prepared at custom animal slaughter facilities for distribution within the state. Under current law, a custom slaughter exemption applies if the meat is slaughtered exclusively for personal, household, guest, or employee uses. Specifically, the bill expands the federal inspection exemption to include the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, meat, and meat food products that are slaughtered and prepared at a custom slaughter facility in accordance with the laws of the state where the facility is located; and prepared exclusively for distribution to household consumers in the state or restaurants, hotels, boarding houses, grocery stores, or other establishments in the state that either prepare meals served directly to consumers or offer meat and food products for sale directly to consumers in the state. The bill does not preempt any state law concerning (1) the slaughter of animals or the preparation of carcasses, meat, and meat food products at a custom slaughter facility; or (2) the sale of meat or meat food products.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2395 East Del Mar Boulevard in Laredo, Texas, as the "Lance Corporal David Lee Espinoza, Lance Corporal Juan Rodrigo Rodriguez & Sergeant Roberto Arizola Jr. Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
Homeland and Cyber Threat Act or the HACT Act This bill allows claims in federal or state court against foreign states that conduct or participate in cyberattacks against U.S. nationals.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
Ending Trading and Holdings in Congressional Stocks (ETHICS) Act This bill generally prohibits Members of Congress (and their spouses and dependents) from purchasing or selling certain investments, such as individual stocks and related financial instruments that are not diversified investment funds, Treasury securities, or other specified holdings. Violations of this prohibition are subject to specified civil penalties. Members must certify their compliance with the provisions of the bill, and the applicable House or Senate ethics office must make the certifications and related information (e.g., trust agreements; descriptions of assets held in trusts; and federal loans, grants, or related benefits that the Member received) available online. Additionally, the bill restricts certain communications between trustees and beneficiaries related to investments held in qualified blind trusts. Violations of the restriction are subject to specified civil penalties. Further, the bill imposes penalties for failing to comply with existing financial disclosure requirements and requires electronic filing of those disclosures in a searchable format.
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 · 23 March 2023
Let Experienced Pilots Fly Act of 2023 This bill raises the mandatory retirement age for pilots engaged in commercial aviation operations from 65 to 67 years of age, unless the operation takes place in (1) the territorial airspace of a foreign county where such operations are prohibited by the foreign country, or (2) international airspace where such operations are not in compliance with the Annexes to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The Federal Aviation Administration must also submit a report to Congress on further increasing the age limitation for pilots engaged in commercial aviation operations.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
Emergency Care Improvement Act This bill permanently allows for coverage under Medicare and Medicaid of services that are provided by freestanding emergency centers. The bill takes effect May 11, 2023.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2023
This resolution supports the preservation of the stepped-up basis tax rule that allows recipients of inherited assets such as land, equipment, or buildings to adjust the cost basis of the assets to reflect their fair market value. The resolution opposes any efforts to impose new taxes on family farms or small businesses and recognizes the importance of generational transfers of farm and family-owned businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the rule issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives titled Factoring Criteria for Firearms With Attached "Stabilizing Braces" and published on January 31, 2023. The rule establishes criteria for determining whether a firearm equipped with an attached stabilizing brace that facilitates shoulder fire is a rifle subject to regulation (e.g., registration) under the National Firearms Act.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2023
Save Our Gas Stoves Act This bill places limits on energy conservation standards for kitchen ranges or ovens under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. The Department of the Energy (DOE) may not prescribe or amend energy conservation standards for kitchen ranges or ovens if they would result in the unavailability of a product on account of the type of fuel the range or oven uses. In addition, DOE may not finalize, implement, or enforce the proposed rule titled Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Conventional Cooking Products issued on February 1, 2023, or any substantially similar rule. The proposed rule prescribes energy conservation standards for consumer conventional cooking tops, including electric cooking tops, gas cooking tops, electrical ovens, and gas ovens.
United States · United States Congress · 17 March 2023
No Partisan Radio and Partisan Broadcasting Services Act or the NPR and PBS Act This bill prohibits federal funding of National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), including by prohibiting the use of federal funds received by a public broadcast station to pay dues to or purchase programming from NPR or PBS.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2023
America Works Act of 2023 This bill expands applicability of the work requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients who are able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs). (SNAP recipients who are ABAWDs have work-related requirements in addition to the general SNAP work registration and employment and training requirements.) Specifically, this bill applies the work requirements for ABAWDs to adults who are not over 65 years old, whereas these requirements currently apply to adults who are not over 50 years old. Further, the ABAWD exemption for a parent or household member with responsibility for a dependent child is restricted to a dependent child under the age of seven. Currently, the child must be under the age of 18. The bill also amends an ABAWD waiver program that allows state exemptions based on an area having an unemployment rate of over 10% or an insufficient number of jobs. Specifically, the bill repeals the second basis for a state exemption, which applies to areas that have an insufficient number of jobs. Under current law, a state agency may exempt up to 12% of SNAP recipients from the ABAWD work requirements for each fiscal year; unused exemptions may be carried over and used in a subsequent fiscal year. Under the bill, unused exemptions may not be carried over.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2023
Protecting American Sovereignty Act This bill prohibits the federal government from implementing any obligations upon the United States that may be contained in a draft report by a World Health Organization (WHO) working group on strengthening the WHO's preparedness and response to health emergencies. This prohibition shall also apply to any related or successor reports and recommendations regarding pandemics.
United States · United States Congress · 10 March 2023
Drug Cartel Terrorist Designation Act This bill directs the Department of State to designate four specified drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. (Among other things, such a designation allows the Department of the Treasury to require financial institutions to block transactions involving the organization.) The four specified cartels in the bill are the Gulf Cartel, the Cartel Del Noreste, the Cartel de Sinaloa, and the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion. The bill also requires the State Department to submit a detailed report on those four cartels and any other cartels it may identify. Based on this report, the State Department must designate as a foreign terrorist organization any such identified cartel (or faction thereof) that meets certain criteria for designation as a foreign terrorist organization. The bill specifies that it may not be construed to expand eligibility for asylum.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act of 2023 This bill establishes a three-year budgetary level reduction schedule for unauthorized programs funded through the annual appropriations process. Under the bill, a budgetary level is an allocation provided to the congressional appropriations committees under Section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by a congressional budget resolution or a deeming resolution. The schedule applies to programs included in the Congressional Budget Office's annual report listing programs that are funded through the appropriations process and have an authorization of appropriations that has either expired or will expire during the year. For the first year after a program's authorization has expired, the bill requires the budgetary level to be reduced by 10% of the funds appropriated for the program in the expiring fiscal year. The bill then requires reductions of 15% in the second and third years before terminating the program at the end of the third unauthorized year. Programs that are reauthorized during the three-year period are exempt from the budgetary level reductions if the reauthorization contains a sunset provision limiting the authorization of appropriations period to no more than three years. The bill establishes the Spending and Accountability Commission to review all mandatory spending programs and submit to Congress a legislative proposal to establish an authorization cycle for discretionary spending programs. The commission may recommend legislation to replace the budgetary level reductions required by this bill with reductions in mandatory spending. The commission's reauthorization schedule must limit reauthorizations to three years, include the budgetary level reductions established by this bill, and establish a mechanism for replacing the budgetary level reductions with reductions to mandatory spending programs. The House of Representatives must consider the commission's proposal using specified expedited legislative procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
CBO Show Your Work Act This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to make available to Congress and the public each fiscal model, policy model, and data preparation routine that the CBO uses to estimate the costs and other fiscal, social, or economic effects of legislation. For each estimate of the costs and other fiscal effects of legislation, the CBO must also disclose, in a manner sufficient to permit replication by individuals not employed by the CBO, the data, programs, models, assumptions, and other details of the computations used to prepare the estimate. For data that may not be disclosed, the CBO must make available to Congress and the public a complete list of all data variables for the data; descriptive statistics for all data variables for the data, to the extent that the descriptive statistics do not violate the rule against disclosure; a reference to the statute requiring that the data not be disclosed; and contact information for the individual or entity who has unrestricted access to the data.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
Continuing Robust and Uninhibited Drilling and Exporting Act or the CRUDE Act This bill limits the President's authority to restrict the export of crude oil from the United States. Currently, the President may restrict the export of oil for up to a year if the President declares a national emergency; the restrictions apply to countries, persons, or organizations for reasons of national security; or the Department of Commerce finds and reports to the President that the export of crude oil has caused sustained material oil supply shortages or sustained oil prices significantly above world market levels and those shortages or price increases have caused or are likely to cause sustained material adverse employment effects. However, this bill only allows the President to make such restrictions if the restrictions apply to countries, persons, or organizations for reasons of national security; or the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, and Commerce jointly make those findings and report them to the President and Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2023
No Federal Funds for Abortion Travel Expenses Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to support interstate travel to obtain an abortion.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2023
No WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act This bill establishes that any convention or agreement on pandemic-related issues reached by the World Health Assembly (WHA) pursuant to a specified negotiating body shall be deemed to be a treaty requiring the advice and consent of the Senate. Specifically, this bill applies to any international instrument negotiated by the intergovernmental negotiating body established by the WHA in December 2021 to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
![Official portrait of Rep. Cloud, Michael [R-TX-27]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/115_rp_tx_27_cloud_michael_200.jpg)