United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2023
Recycling Infrastructure and Accessibility Act of 2023 This bill requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish a pilot grant program for improving recycling accessibility in communities. The EPA may award grants to states, local governments, Indian tribes, or public-private partnerships.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2023
Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 This bill provides FY2024 supplemental appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State for activities to respond to the attacks in Israel. The bill designates the funding as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. The bill provides appropriations to DOD for Operation and Maintenance; Procurement; and Research, Development, Test and Evaluation. The funding is provided for purposes such as replacing defense articles that were provided to Israel, reimbursing DOD for defense services and training provided to Israel, procuring Israel's Iron Dome and David's Sling defense systems, and developing Israel's Iron Beam defense system. The bill provides appropriations to the State Department for Diplomatic Programs, including Worldwide Security Protection; Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service; and the Foreign Military Financing Program. In addition, the bill includes provisions that expand the authorities of the President to transfer defense articles and services from DOD to Israel. Finally, the bill rescinds specified unobligated funds that were provided for activities of the Internal Revenue Service.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2023
21st Century Dyslexia Act This bill addresses the education of children with disabilities, with a particular focus on children with dyslexia. Currently, dyslexia is listed as one of the disabilities under the definition of specific learning disability in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This bill instead removes dyslexia from the definition of specific learning disability and establishes a stand-alone definition for dyslexia within the IDEA. Specifically, the bill defines dyslexia for purposes of the IDEA as an unexpected difficulty in reading for an individual who has the intelligence to be a much better reader, most commonly caused by a difficulty in the phonological processing (the appreciation of the individual sounds of spoken language), which affects the ability of an individual to speak, read, and spell. Additionally, the bill requires a local educational agency or other agency, in determining eligibility for or providing an accommodation or service under the IDEA, to provide equal access to (1) children from low-income families, (2) children from families with low socioeconomic status, and (3) children who are limited English proficient.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2023
This resolution supports the designation of National Dyslexia Awareness Month and calls on Congress, schools, and educational agencies to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2023
Honor Our Living Donors Act This bill modifies certain criteria that is used to determine eligibility under the Living Organ Donation Reimbursement Program, which reimburses organ donors for certain incidental expenses related to organ donation (e.g., travel expenses). The bill specifies that the organ recipient's income may not be considered in determining whether an organ donor may be reimbursed under the program. (Currently, an organ recipient's income may not be greater than 350% of the federal poverty guidelines.) Additionally, under the bill, organ donors may be reimbursed regardless of whether the organ recipient pays them (or could be expected to pay them) for their expenses. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on whether the program adequately covers the expenses of organ donors, and if not, the amount of necessary funding.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2023
This concurrent resolution affirms the commitments in the Geneva Consensus Declaration on Promoting Women's Health and Strengthening the Family and applauds the signatory countries for their dedication to advancing women's health, protecting life at every stage while affirming that there is no international right to abortion, and upholding the importance of the family as foundational to society. The resolution calls on President Biden to once again add the United States as a signatory to the Geneva Consensus Declaration.
United States · United States Congress · 17 October 2023
This resolution calls on Hamas to immediately release hostages taken during its October 2023 attack on Israel. The resolution (1) condemns Hamas for attacking Israel, taking hostages, and for threats made against hostages; (2) demands that Hamas immediately release hostages; (3) recognizes that hostage-taking is a violation of international humanitarian law; and (4) expresses sympathy to the hostages, wounded, deceased, and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2023
This resolution states that the House of Representatives stands with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists, reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense, and condemns Hamas' brutal war against Israel. The resolution also reaffirms the United States' commitment to Israel's security, supports emergency resupply and certain other types of assistance to Israel, and urges full enforcement of sanctions against Iran to prevent Iran's funding of terrorist groups.
United States · United States Congress · 10 October 2023
This resolution states that the House of Representatives stands with Israel as it defends itself against the barbaric war launched by Hamas and other terrorists, reaffirms Israel's right to self-defense, and condemns Hamas' brutal war against Israel. The resolution also reaffirms the United States' commitment to Israel's security, supports emergency resupply and certain other types of assistance to Israel, and urges full enforcement of sanctions against Iran to prevent Iran's funding of terrorist groups.
United States · United States Congress · 2 October 2023
Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2023 This bill extends rules for the treatment of certain disaster-related personal casualty losses and provides tax relief for losses due to wildfires and a certain incident involving a train derailment. Specifically, the bill excludes from taxpayer gross income, for income tax purposes, any amount received by an individual taxpayer as compensation for expenses or losses incurred due to a qualified wildfire disaster (a disaster declared after 2014 as a result of a forest or range fire). It also excludes relief payments for losses resulting from the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment on February 3, 2023.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2023
Transportation Security Screening Modernization Act This bill directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to streamline the process for individuals applying for or renewing enrollment in multiple security threat assessment (STA) programs, in particular the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and the Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HME) programs. Among other things, the TSA must permit an individual to enroll at a TSA-authorized enrollment center once and use the application, as well as information generated by TSA’s vetting, to enroll in any other programs; permit an individual to enroll in more than one STA program at the same time for a single fee that is less than the combined fee for applying to the same programs separately; provide for a streamlined and expeditious renewal process; and provide states the expiration dates for each individual’s STA to ensure commercial driver's licenses include an individual's current HME status. Additionally, the TSA must publish on its website information relating to the streamlining of the enrollment system. If the TSA determines it is necessary to implement these changes through rulemaking, the bill provides for an expedited rulemaking process.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2023
Health Care Practitioner Disaster Protection Act This bill extends certain liability protections available for health care practitioners who provide voluntary health care services in declared emergencies through a community health center other than the one that initially sponsored them. Current law makes the liability protections available to volunteer practitioners that are sponsored by a particular community health center. This bill maintains the liability protections for a volunteer practitioner who provides services through a different community health center if the center (1) seeks the assistance of the volunteer practitioner to respond to a declared emergency, and (2) promptly notifies the Department of Health and Human Services that the volunteer practitioner will be providing services.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2023
Stop Campus Hazing Act This bill requires institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student aid programs to report hazing incidents. Specifically, the bill requires each IHE to disclose hazing incidents that were reported to campus security authorities or local police agencies in its annual security report. The bill defines the term hazing to mean any intentional, knowing, or reckless act committed by a person against a student (regardless of that student's willingness to participate), that (1) is connected with an initiation into, an affiliation with, or the maintenance of membership in, an organization (e.g., a club, athletic team, fraternity, or sorority); and (2) causes or is likely to contribute to a substantial risk, above the reasonable risk encountered in the course of participation in the IHE or the organization, of physical injury, mental harm, or degradation. In addition, each IHE must develop and distribute as part of its annual security report a statement of policy regarding the following: (1) a comprehensive program to prevent hazing, which must include information on hazing awareness and hazing prevention; and (2) the IHE's current campus policies on hazing, which must include procedures that comply with specified collection and reporting requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2023
Maintaining Investments in New Innovation Act This bill requires drug products with genetically targeted technology to have had market approval for at least 11 years in order to qualify for the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. (The program requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to negotiate the prices of certain prescription drugs under Medicare beginning in 2026. Among other requirements, drugs must have had market approval for at least 7 years (for drug products) or 11 years (for biologics) to qualify for negotiation.)
United States · United States Congress · 18 September 2023
Seniors’ Access to Critical Medications Act of 2023 This bill allows physicians to dispense outpatient prescription drugs and related supplies to patients outside of their office buildings without violating certain prohibitions under the Stark law (i.e., the Physician Self-Referral Law) for Medicare and Medicaid. Current law requires physicians to dispense outpatient prescription drugs and related supplies to patients in their office buildings in order to qualify for an exception (the in-office ancillary services exception) under the Stark law. The bill specifies that, beginning on May 11, 2023, physicians may dispense outpatient prescription drugs and related supplies in locations other than their office buildings. The bill also requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to withdraw specified guidance that contradicts the bill’s changes.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
CBDC Anti-Surveillance State Act This bill prohibits a Federal Reserve bank from offering products or services directly to an individual, maintaining an account on behalf of an individual, or issuing a central bank digital currency (i.e., a digital dollar) directly or indirectly to an individual. Further, The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Federal Open Market Committee are prohibited from using a central bank digital currency to implement monetary policy.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
Critical Infrastructure Manufacturing Feasibility Act This bill requires the Department of Commerce to study and report on products that are in high demand across the critical infrastructure sectors. Critical infrastructure sectors are those whose assets, systems, and networks are vital to national security, the economy, public health or safety, or any combination of those matters. The study must (1) identify the products in high demand across those sectors that are being imported due to manufacturing, material, or supply chain constraints; and (2) analyze the costs, benefits, and feasibility of manufacturing those products in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
Humane Cosmetics Act of 2023 This bill generally prohibits animal testing in the evaluation of cosmetic products, and it prohibits the sale or transport of cosmetics developed using animal testing, subject to civil penalties. These prohibitions begin one year after enactment. The bill specifies exceptions to these prohibitions, including if such animal testing (1) is conducted outside the United States to comply with a foreign regulatory authority; (2) is pursuant to a specified finding that there are no nonanimal alternatives to test the safety of a potentially dangerous cosmetic product or ingredient; (3) is of a product or ingredient for a drug or device subject to regulation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); or (4) is required for a noncosmetic purpose pursuant to a state, federal, or foreign regulatory authority. Further, no animal-testing evidence may be used to establish the safety of a cosmetic product or ingredient that is regulated by the FDA after the effective date of this bill, subject to limited exceptions.
United States · United States Congress · 15 August 2023
Health Care Provider Shortage Minimization Act of 2023 This bill provides statutory authority to classify qualified locum tenens physicians and advanced care practitioners as independent contractors for federal tax purposes. (Locum tenens generally refers to an individual who temporarily fulfills the duties of another individual and is commonly used to refer to temporary staffing in the healthcare industry.) Under current law, independent contractors are considered self-employed for federal tax purposes and, thus, are required to make quarterly estimated income tax payments and pay self-employment taxes (Social Security and Medicare taxes). (Other federal tax reporting requirements and obligations apply.) The bill defines a qualified locum tenens physician or advanced care practitioner as an individual who provides temporary services for not more than one continuous year at a site of service as (1) a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, optometry, or podiatry (authorized to provide such services by the state, U.S. possession, or U.S. territory in which such services are performed); or (2) a nurse practitioner, physician’s assistant, or certified registered nurse anesthetist. The term also includes an individual who provides such temporary services and is otherwise considered a physician under the Social Security Act (e.g., certain chiropractors).
United States · United States Congress · 8 August 2023
Broadband Buildout Accountability Act This bill makes actions or decisions of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration concerning the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program subject to the Freedom of Information Act, which governs the release of federal documents.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act This bill authorizes the use of federal elementary and secondary education funds to purchase or use dangerous weapons for purposes of training students in archery, hunting, or other shooting sports. Current law prohibits the use of these funds to provide any person with a dangerous weapon or training in the use of a dangerous weapon. The bill specifies that this prohibition shall not apply to training students in archery, hunting, or other shooting sports.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Prioritizing Evidence for Workforce Development Act This bill requires state workforce development plans to describe how the state will prioritize funding evidence-based programs that demonstrate positive outcomes for their target populations.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2023
Kidney Patient Access to Technologically Innovative and Essential Nephrology Treatments Act of 2023 or the Kidney PATIENT Act of 2023 This bill delays a change to the payment methodology under Medicare for oral drugs that are used to treat end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Under current regulations, beginning January 1, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will incorporate payments for oral-only ESRD drugs into the ESRD prospective payment system rather than issuing separate payments to ESRD facilities. The bill delays implementation of this policy until January 1, 2033, or until an approved intravenous drug is available, whichever is earlier.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act of 2023 or the SHINE for Autumn Act of 2023 This bill authorizes grants and establishes other programs to improve data collection on stillbirths. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may award grants for surveillance and data collection on stillbirths, and HHS must issue guidelines for health departments and vital statistics units concerning the collection of stillbirth data. HHS must also develop educational awareness materials about stillbirths and make them publicly available. Furthermore, HHS must implement a fellowship program to provide training in perinatal autopsy pathology and otherwise support research on stillbirths and fetal autopsies. The bill also requires HHS to issue a report with educational guidelines on stillbirths and stillbirth risk factors.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
This resolution calls on North Korea to release any abducted foreign nationals, including those from Japan. It also urges North Korea to return the remains of deceased abductees, to make restitution, to apologize, and to permanently cease such activities.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act This bill modifies the Conrad 30 Waiver program, which incentivizes qualified foreign physicians to serve in underserved communities. It also extends statutory authority for the program for three years from this bill's enactment. Aliens coming to the United States under a J-1 nonimmigrant visa to receive medical training typically must leave the country and reside for two years abroad before being eligible to apply for an immigrant visa or permanent residence. The Conrad program waives this requirement for individuals who meet certain qualifications, including serving for a number of years at a health care facility in an underserved area. The bill increases the number of waivers that a state may obtain each fiscal year from 30 to 35 if a certain number of waivers were used the previous year, and provides for further adjustments depending on demand. An alien physician may be employed at an academic medical center to meet the Conrad program's employment requirements if the alien's work is in the public interest, even if the medical center is not in an underserved area. Employment contracts for alien physicians under the Conrad program shall contain certain information, such as the maximum number of on-call hours per week the physician shall have to work. Certain alien physicians (along with the physician's spouse and children) shall be exempt from the direct annual numerical limits on immigration, including those physicians that have met certain requirements related to visas for physicians to serve in underserved areas.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2023 This bill accelerates to the enactment date of this bill the deferral of tax (currently, after December 31, 2027) on sales of employer stock to employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) sponsored by S corporations. It also eliminates the limitation on the amount that may be deferred. The Department of the Treasury must establish the S Corporation Employee Ownership Assistance Office to foster increased employee ownership of S corporations. The office must provide education and outreach about the benefits of employee ownership of S corporations and technical assistance to assist S corporations in sponsoring ESOPs. The bill directs the Department of Labor to appoint an Advocate for Employee Ownership.
United States · United States Congress · 25 July 2023
Doctors in our Borders Act This bill increases the number of Conrad 30 waivers available each year from 30 to 100. Typically, a J-1 visa holder (nonimmigrant exchange visitor) must leave the United States for two years after finishing the exchange visitor program, including J-1 visa holders who entered the United States to receive graduate medical training. The Conrad 30 waiver program waives this requirement for eligible foreign medical graduates who agree to practice medicine in an underserved area or for an underserved population in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 20 July 2023
Treat and Reduce Obesity Act of 2023 This bill expands Medicare coverage of intensive behavioral therapy for obesity. Specifically, the bill allows coverage for therapy that is provided by (1) a physician who is not a primary care physician; or (2) other health care providers (e.g., physician assistants and nurse practitioners) and approved counseling programs, if provided upon a referral from, and in coordination with, a physician or primary care practitioner. Currently, such therapy is covered only if provided by a primary care practitioner. The bill also allows coverage under Medicare's prescription drug benefit of drugs used for the treatment of obesity or for weight loss management for individuals who are overweight.
United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act This bill requires state Medicaid programs to establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may enroll as participating providers for five years without undergoing additional screening requirements, unless the state has an agreement with other states that governs coverage of children with medically complex conditions that is in accordance with specified guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Among other requirements, a qualifying provider must (1) serve individuals under the age of 21; (2) have previously been screened for Medicare participation or for participation in the Medicaid program of the state in which the provider is located; and (3) have been determined by the CMS or state Medicaid program to pose a limited risk of fraud, waste, or abuse.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
H-2 Improvements to Relieve Employers Act or the HIRE Act This bill addresses issues relating to temporary work visas, including by extending the period of stay for H-2A (temporary agricultural workers) and H-2B (temporary nonagricultural workers) visas. Under this bill, the period of stay for an H-2A or H-2B visa shall generally be three years, whereas under current law, these visas are typically valid for up to a year with extensions available for one-year periods for up to three consecutive years. Specifically, this bill establishes that labor certifications and petitions for such visas shall be valid for three years. (Under current regulations, the period of stay for an H-2A or H-2B visa is for the validity period of the underlying petition and supporting labor certification, with some additional time to allow the visa holder to relocate to and from the United States.) The bill also authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to waive the in-person requirement for an individual seeking to renew an H-2A or H-2B visa within four years of the expiration of the earlier visa. The Department of Labor must publish on its website information on the number of seasons during which an employer expects to have seasonal employment available, if the employer requests such information.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
Main Street Tax Certainty Act This bill makes permanent the tax deduction for qualified business income. (Under current law, the deduction expires after December 31, 2025.) Qualified business income is defined as the net amount of qualified items of income, gain, deduction and loss with respect to any trade or business, excluding capital gains or losses, dividends, interest income, or income earned outside the U.S.
United States · United States Congress · 17 July 2023
This resolution affirms that Israel is not a racist or apartheid state. The resolution also (1) rejects all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia, and (2) affirms that the United States will always be a staunch partner of Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
Fortifying Refrigeration Infrastructure and Developing Global Exports Act of 2023 or the FRIDGE Act of 2023 This bill expands the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program to include funding for technical assistance for infrastructure-related projects to ensure U.S. agricultural commodities are not damaged or lost due to infrastructure deficiencies in new and developing markets. This Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) program funds projects that address long-term opportunities to reduce foreign import constraints or expand export growth opportunities. Specifically, the bill directs FAS to enter into contracts or other agreements with trade organizations to enhance the infrastructure capabilities (including cold chain capacity and port improvements) in new and developing foreign markets through needs assessments, training, and other technical assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 13 July 2023
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that research and promotion boards support efforts to develop new markets and strengthen existing markets via research, education, and promotion.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2023
American Confidence in Elections Act or the ACE Act This bill addresses election administration and security, campaign finance, and other related provisions. Specifically, the bill directs the Election Assistance Commission's (EAC's) Standards Board and Local Leadership Council to issue voluntary considerations for states about various aspects of election administration. Additionally, the bill reduces certain election assistance payments for states and local jurisdictions that allow noncitizens to vote; requires states to provide designated congressional election observers with full access to observe the administration procedures of federal elections; prohibits federal agencies from using funds made available for salaries and expenses to solicit or enter into agreements with nongovernmental organizations to conduct voter registration or voter mobilization activities on the agency's property or website; prohibits federal funds for election administration for states that allow ballot harvesting, with exceptions; establishes various requirements for elections in the District of Columbia; makes various changes to the EAC; and prohibits foreign nationals from making contributions or donations in connection with state or local ballot initiatives or referenda. The bill also establishes the Twentieth Amendment Section Four Panel, which must recommend to Congress model legislation to resolve any vacancy created by the death of a candidate in a contingent presidential or vice-presidential election. The bill makes changes to campaign finance, including by (1) repealing limits on coordinated party expenditures, and (2) prohibiting federal funds from being used to make payments in support of a congressional election campaign. It also makes changes to the Federal Election Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2023
Support for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act This bill reauthorizes through FY2028 and modifies various grants, programs, and activities that address substance use and misuse. This includes reauthorizing (1) data collection, education, and surveillance activities; (2) grants and other support for substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery; (3) student loan repayment and other programs for the substance use disorder workforce; and (4) programs for addressing trauma, particularly for children, youth, and their families. Generally, the modifications expand programs. Additionally, the bill modifies provisions related to the scheduling of controlled substances, including by incorporating illicit xylazine (a compound used in veterinary medicine as a nonopioid tranquilizer) into schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act. Further, the bill makes permanent a requirement that Medicaid programs cover medication-assisted treatment for individuals with substance use disorders.
United States · United States Congress · 11 July 2023
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Journeyman Lineworkers Recognition Day. (A journeyman lineworker is a person who builds and maintains electrical power systems.)