United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment limiting Representatives to six terms and Senators to two terms. Terms beginning before the ratification of this amendment do not count towards these term limits.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. The amendment requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber to increase the public debt limit. It prohibits a bill to increase revenue from becoming law unless it has been approved by a majority roll call vote of each chamber. The amendment also requires the President to submit an annual budget in which total outlays do not exceed total receipts. Congress may waive these requirements due to a declaration of war or a military conflict that causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2023 This bill establishes requirements regarding audits of certain financial agencies performed by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Specifically, the bill directs the GAO to complete, within 12 months, an audit of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks. In addition, the bill allows the GAO to audit the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks with respect to (1) international financial transactions; (2) deliberations, decisions, or actions on monetary policy matters; (3) transactions made under the direction of the Federal Open Market Committee; and (4) discussions or communications among Federal Reserve officers, board members, and employees regarding any of these matters.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Family Integrity to Reform Elections Act or the FIRE Act This bill prohibits the use of campaign funds to compensate the immediate family member of a candidate or an individual holding federal office. It also requires disclosure of payments made to immediate family members. Specifically, the bill prohibits an authorized committee of a candidate or any other political committee that is established, maintained, or controlled by a candidate or an individual holding federal office from directly or indirectly compensating the immediate family member of the candidate or individual for services provided to or on behalf of the committee. The prohibition does not apply to a political committee of a political party. Next, the bill requires a political committee to report on disbursements to an immediate family member of the candidate or the individual holding federal office. Finally, the bill requires any penalty for a violation of the bill to be imposed on the candidate or the individual holding federal office if the candidate or individual involved knew of the violation. Further, it prohibits the committee involved from reimbursing the candidate or individual for the penalty.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate the carry or possession of concealed firearms across state lines. Specifically, an individual who is eligible to carry a concealed firearm in one state may carry or possess a concealed handgun (other than a machine gun or destructive device) in another state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. It sets forth requirements for the lawful concealed carry across state lines. The bill preempts most state and local laws related to concealed carry and establishes a private right of action for a person adversely affected by interference with a concealed-carry right established by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination Act or the FIND Act This bill prohibits the federal government from entering into contracts with an entity that discriminates against firearm trade associations or businesses that deal in firearms, ammunition, or related products. Specifically, the bill requires a federal agency to include in each contract for the procurement of goods or services awarded by the agency a clause requiring the prime contractor to certify that it (1) has no policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association; and (2) will not adopt a policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association during the term of the contract. The bill establishes (1) a similar requirement with respect to subcontracts, and (2) penalties for violations. The bill makes such prohibition inapplicable to a contract for the procurement of goods or services that is a sole-source contract.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2022
Averting the National Threat of Internet Surveillance, Oppressive Censorship and Influence, and Algorithmic Learning by the Chinese Communist Party Act or the ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act This bill requires the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on TikTok, its parent company ByteDance Ltd., and larger social media companies with ties to certain foreign countries. Specifically, the sanctions shall apply if the relevant property interests are (1) in the United States; or (2) in the possession or control of a U.S. person, if blocking the transaction is necessary to prevent the company's commercial operation in the United States. These sanctions shall also apply to larger social media companies involved with countries or persons (entities or individuals) of concern, generally defined as any foreign government or person engaged in activities adverse to U.S. security and safety and includes specific countries such as China, Russia, and North Korea. For the purposes of this bill, a person of concern also includes private companies and individuals domiciled in a country of concern and subject to the substantial influence of the government. Specifically, in addition to TikTok and ByteDance, the sanctions shall apply to any social media company that is based in or organized under the laws of a country of concern; where a country or person of concern owns 10% of its outstanding voting stock or shares; that uses software or algorithms controlled by a country or person of concern, including through export controls; or where a country or person of concern has substantial influence over the company's data sharing or content moderation practices.
United States · United States Congress · 8 December 2022
American Safety And Fairness through Expedited Removal Act of 2022 or the American SAFER Act of 2022 This bill expands the classes of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who are subject to expedited removal (i.e., removal from the United States without further hearing or review). Specifically, the bill nullifies a 2004 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that generally limits expedited removal to certain situations, such as for non-U.S. nationals encountered within 14 days of entry into the United States without inspection and within 100 miles of a U.S. international land border. The bill also (1) prohibits DHS from implementing a rule that limits expedited removal based on how far a non-U.S. national was from the border when encountered or apprehended, and (2) modifies the relevant statute to state that expedited removal authority applies regardless of where the non-U.S. national was encountered or apprehended.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2022
This bill prohibits the Department of Defense from paying for or reimbursing (1) any fees or expenses relating to a health care professional gaining a license in a state if the purpose of gaining such license is to provide abortion services, or (2) travel expenses related to abortion services.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2022
Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act This bill requires each federal agency to develop assessments of their software inventories and software licenses and a plan to reduce costs by consolidating licenses and adopting enterprise license agreements to the greatest extent practicable. The bill also requires the Office of Management and Budget and the Government Accountability Office to report on various government-wide issues relating to federal software licenses and inventories.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2022
Declaring War on the Cartels Act of 2022 This bill enhances the term of federal imprisonment for members of certain transnational criminal cartels (i.e., Mexican cartels) who are repeat offenders. It also establishes penalties for U.S. banks and foreign governments that support or otherwise have dealings with these cartels. Specifically, cartel members are subject to an additional 10 to 20 years imprisonment if they are convicted of certain federal crimes (e.g., crimes of violence, fraud, or sexual exploitation) and have been previously convicted of similar crimes (including at the state or local level) within the last five years. Any U.S. national who is convicted as an accessory to such crimes is also subject to up to 15 years of additional imprisonment. The bill also prohibits cartel members from using U.S. banks to conduct business and subjects any related assets to federal seizure. Banks that intentionally do business with cartel members are subject to civil penalties. Additionally, the bill (1) bars noncitizen cartel members and their immediate family from admission into the United States, (2) authorizes sanctions against foreign governments and persons (individuals or entities) that support cartel activity, and (3) requires certain federal agencies to work with foreign governments on combatting cartels. The bill applies to members of the following cartels: The Sinaloa Cartel, The Jalisco New Generation Cartel, The Beltran-Leyva Cartel, The Gulf Cartel, The Los Zetas Cartel, The Tijuana Cartel, and The La Familia Michoacána/Knights Templar Cartel.
United States · United States Congress · 10 November 2022
Veterans Protection from Fraud Act This bill makes enhanced criminal penalties for telemarking or email marketing fraud offenses applicable to telemarking or email fraud offenses that target veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2022
Strengthening the Force and Fleet Through Enlisted Education Act or the Smart Act This bill removes the capacity limit for enlisted members of the Armed Forces to receive graduate-level instruction in a Naval Postgraduate School program. The Department of Defense must brief Congress on the effects of increasing enrollment of enlisted members at the school.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2022
This resolution calls on President Biden to stop the sale of petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves and instead prioritize the replenishment of the Strategic Petroleum Reserves.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2022
Mahsa Amini Human rights and Security Accountability Act or the MAHSA Act This bill requires the President to impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on certain persons (individuals and entities) affiliated with Iran. The President must make determinations about whether certain existing sanctions apply to specified persons and impose the applicable sanctions, including determinations concerning (1) the Supreme Leader of Iran and any official in the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran, (2) the President of Iran and any official in the Office of the President of Iran, and (3) any entity overseen by the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran which is complicit in supporting human rights abuses or terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2022
Simplifying Grants Act of 2022 This bill sets forth procedures for simplifying the grant process for nonurbanized areas, for both existing and new grant programs. Each agency must make publicly available a checklist for covered local governments with respect to each grant program of the agency for which such governments are otherwise eligible that includes each requirement for every step of the grant process. The Office of Management and Budget must report to Congress (1) within 270 days of this bill's enactment, evaluating the extent to which agencies have simplified the requirements and made the checklist available; and (2) each April 1st, evaluating the amount of technical assistance provided and the amount of funds awarded.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Protect Farmers from the SEC Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural products.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2022
Taiwan Policy Act of 2022 This bill provides support to Taiwan and addresses related issues. For example, the bill (1) establishes a comprehensive training program with Taiwan's government to familiarize the U.S. military and Taiwan's military with each other and achieve interoperability, and (2) authorizes the Department of State to take actions to help Taiwan become a non-borrowing member of the Inter-American Development Bank.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
Ukraine Human Rights Policy Act of 2022 This bill provides for congressional oversight of sanctions on foreign persons associated with human rights abuses in territory controlled by Russia and requires reports on human rights abuses related to Ukraine.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2022
Preventing Underhanded and Nefarious Iranian Supported Homicides Act of 2022 or the PUNISH Act of 2022 This bill extends sanctions and national emergencies related to Iran established by specified executive orders and limits the authority of the President to waive sanctions related to Iran. The bill requires the Department of State to periodically report whether Iran or any foreign person has supported specified activities, including murder or politically motivated detention in Iran of a U.S. citizen.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2022
TCJA Permanency Act This bill makes permanent provisions affecting individual and business taxpayers that were enacted in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. The bill makes permanent reductions in individual and capital gain tax rates. The bill increases the standard tax deduction for individual taxpayers. It also increases and modifies the child tax credit and raises the contribution base for the tax deduction for charitable contributions. The bill allows additional contributions to ABLE accounts (tax-exempt accounts designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save and pay for disability-related expenses). It exempts from taxation combat zone benefits of members of the Armed Forces serving in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and limits the deduction for moving expenses to active duty members of the Armed Forces. Additionally, the bill expands the types of elementary and secondary school expenses eligible for payment from qualified tuition programs (529 programs); lowers to $750,000 the amount of mortgage debt eligible for an interest expense tax deduction; reinstates after 2023 the exclusion of income from the gross income of student loan borrowers for loan debt discharged due to death or total and permanent disability; makes permanent the limitation on the tax deduction for state and local taxes and denies a deduction for foreign real property taxes; makes permanent the tax deduction of the income of certain pass-through business entities; repeals the tax deduction for personal tax exemptions and the exclusion of employer-provided bicycle commuter fringe benefits; terminates certain miscellaneous itemized tax deductions; doubles the estate and gift tax exemption amount; and makes permanent the increase of the alternative minimum tax exemption amount for individual taxpayers.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2022
The Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027, increases funding for, and modifies the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. This program supports home visits for expectant and new parents who live in communities that are at-risk for poor maternal and child health outcomes. Changes to the program include setting out requirements for allocating program funds; increasing the percentage of funds reserved for tribal entities; establishing a publicly available dashboard that reports program outcomes; requiring activities to reduce unnecessary data collection, reporting, and other administrative requirements of the program; and allowing for virtual home visits (provided certain conditions are met).
United States · United States Congress · 26 August 2022
Protecting the Permian Basin Act of 2022 This bill eliminates a program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that provides incentives for petroleum and natural gas systems to reduce their emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases. It also repeals a charge on methane emissions from specific types of facilities that are required to report their greenhouse gas emissions to the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Program.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2022
No IDs for Illegals Act This bill prohibits using federal funds to establish or otherwise support the Secure Docket Card Program of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2022
Banning Oil Exports to Foreign Adversaries Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to prohibit the export or sale of petroleum products (e.g., crude oil) from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to (1) China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran; (2) any other country the government of which is subject to sanctions imposed by the United States; and (3) any entity owned, controlled, or influenced by such countries or the Chinese Communist Party. However, DOE may issue a waiver of the prohibition if the export or sale of petroleum products is in the national security interests of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 29 July 2022
Taiwan Democracy Defense Lend-Lease Act of 2022 This bill authorizes the President to lend or lease defense articles to Taiwan for protection against potential Chinese military aggression and requires the President to establish expedited procedures for delivering loaned or leased defense articles to Taiwan.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2022
Rural Hospital Extensions for Low-volume Programs Act of 2022 or the Rural HELP Act of 2022 This bill makes certain payment adjustments for Medicare-dependent hospitals and low-volume hospitals permanent (the adjustments currently expire at the end of FY2022).
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2022
Fairness for Responsible Borrowers Act This bill generally prohibits the Departments of Education, Justice, or the Treasury from taking any action to cancel or forgive the outstanding balances, or portion of balances, of covered loans. Covered loans refer to Federal Family Education Loans, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and loans under the Health Education Assistance Loan Program. The prohibition does not apply to targeted federal student loan forgiveness, cancellation, or repayment programs carried out under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
United States · United States Congress · 21 July 2022
Investing in American Defense Technologies Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to implement a five-year pilot program to accelerate the development of advanced technology for national security by creating incentives for trusted private capital to invest in domestic small businesses or nontraditional businesses that are developing technology that DOD considers necessary to support the modernization of DOD and national security priorities. DOD must brief Congress on the implementation and outcomes of the pilot program.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2022
Making the CFPB Accountable to Small Businesses Act of 2022 This bill eliminates the requirement that financial institutions must collect data regarding loans made to women-owned, minority-owned, or small businesses. In addition, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau must justify its decision to not adopt certain alternatives to regulations applicable to small entities.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2022
Protecting America from IRGC Terrorists Act This bill adds questions to certain visa, permanent residence, and naturalization applications concerning an applicant's association with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2022
Border Bonds for America Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to issue up to $5 billion in bonds in a fiscal year, with proceeds going into a trust fund for the construction of reinforced fencing, physical barriers, and related infrastructure for the southwest border with Mexico. Treasury may issue such bonds for 30 years from the bill's enactment date. The bill also authorizes Treasury to accept gifts of money for the same purpose.
United States · United States Congress · 14 July 2022
Standing with Moms Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to disseminate information about pregnancy-related resources. Specifically, HHS must maintain a public website (life.gov) that lists such resources that are available through federal, state, and local governments and private entities. Additionally, HHS must maintain on its website a portal that provides a user, based on the user's responses to a series of questions, tailored information about pregnancy resources available in the user's zip code and risks related to abortion. HHS must develop a plan to conduct follow-up outreach to users of the portal (if the user consents to the outreach). States must recommend resources that meet criteria set by HHS for including through the portal. HHS may award grants to states to establish or support a system that aggregates resources to include on the portal. Further, the Health Resources and Services Administration must share information about life.gov and the portal through the Maternal Mental Health Hotline. HHS must also ensure that the life.gov website and hotline are available to families who speak languages other than English. The bill excludes from life.gov, the portal, and the hotline resources provided by entities that (1) perform, induce, refer for, or counsel in favor of abortions; or (2) financially support such entities. The bill also requires HHS to report on traffic to life.gov and the portal, gaps in services available to pregnant and postpartum individuals, and related matters.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2022
Flores Settlement Update and Establishment Act of 2022 This bill modifies and provides statutory authority for certain policies pertaining to the treatment of minors without lawful immigration status under the Flores settlement and revises certain human trafficking laws. For example, the bill requires each member of a family unit seeking asylum to take a DNA test to verify familial relationships within 72 hours of the family encountering U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2022
Closing Loopholes and Ending Asylum Abuse Act of 2022 This bill imposes restrictions on noncitizens ( aliens under federal law) applying for asylum, authorizes asylum seekers to apply for asylum abroad, and requires applicants to apply abroad in certain instances. For example, the bill requires a refugee's persecution or well-founded fear of persecution to stem from a government (or affiliated entity), whereas currently the persecution does not have to stem from a government. The bill also requires an applicant who passes through another country with a U.S. diplomatic mission that processes asylum claims to apply for asylum while physically in that country.
United States · United States Congress · 1 July 2022
Container Missile Notification Act This bill requires the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to notify Congress if the intelligence community receives intelligence that Russia, China, Iran, or North Korea is deploying (or about to deploy) a missile launcher disguised as or concealed in a shipping container. Currently, ODNI is only required to notify Congress about intelligence that Russia is deploying the Club-K container missile system.
United States · United States Congress · 28 June 2022
National Debt is National Security Act This bill establishes limits on the amount of public debt that may be held by foreign governments, entities, and individuals. The bill allows the President to waive the limits if the President determines and reports to Congress that an important national interest requires the waiver.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2022
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 651 Business Interstate Highway 35 North Suite 420 in New Braunfels, Texas, as the "Bob Krueger Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2022
RETURN (Repealing Excise Tax on Unalienable Rights Now) our Constitutional Rights Act of 2022 or the RETURN our Constitutional Rights Act of 2022 This bill repeals the excise taxes on firearms and ammunition and on bows and arrows. It also repeals the excise tax on transferring and making firearms under the National Firearm Act.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2022
Political Bias In Algorithm Sorting Emails Act of 2022 or the Political BIAS Emails Act of 2022 This bill makes it unlawful for commercial email service providers to use a filtering algorithm to apply a label to an email sent to an email account from a political campaign unless the owner or user of the account took action to apply such label.
United States · United States Congress · 17 June 2022
Lone Star Reimbursement Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to provide approximately $1.43 billion to the state of Texas as reimbursement for the costs of Operation Lone Star incurred in FY2021 and FY2022. (Operation Lone Star is a border security operation initiated and carried out by the state of Texas.)
United States · United States Congress · 16 June 2022
Hmong Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to the Hmong people in recognition of their highly distinguished service in the Vietnam War and the fight against communism.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2022
Protect Our Judiciary Act of 2022 This bill removes the intent requirement for the criminal offense related to picketing or parading in or near a building or residence used by a judge, juror, witness, or court officer.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2022
Family Integrity to Reform Elections Act or the FIRE Act This bill prohibits the use of campaign funds to compensate the immediate family member of a candidate or an individual holding federal office. It also requires disclosure of payments made to immediate family members. Specifically, the bill prohibits an authorized committee of a candidate or any other political committee that is established, maintained, or controlled by a candidate or an individual holding federal office from directly or indirectly compensating the immediate family member of the candidate or individual for services provided to or on behalf of the committee. The prohibition does not apply to a political committee of a political party. Next, the bill requires a political committee to report on disbursements to an immediate family member of the candidate or the individual holding federal office. Finally, the bill requires any penalty for a violation of the bill to be imposed on the candidate or the individual holding federal office if the candidate or individual involved knew of the violation. Further, it prohibits the committee involved from reimbursing the candidate or individual for the penalty.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2022
Strategic Petroleum Reserve Anti-Exploitation Act This bill prohibits the drawdown or sale of stocks in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve unless authorized by Congress in response to a national emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2022
Sanctioning Supporters of Slave Labor Act This bill expands existing sanctions on foreign individuals and entities responsible for human rights abuses (e.g., such as torture or forced labor) against members of Muslim minority groups or other persons in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China. Specifically, this bill requires sanctions on foreign individuals and entities that knowingly (1) provide material support to the parties subject to the existing sanctions for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, or (2) engage in a significant transaction relating to such human rights abuses.