United States · United States Congress · 19 July 2023
Delivering for Rural Seniors Act of 2023 This bill directs the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to award competitive grants to state agencies under a home delivery pilot program for participants in the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). (The CSFP works to improve the health of low-income persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious Department of Agriculture foods.) Under the pilot program, a state agency must distribute grant funds to an eligible entity (i.e., a local agency or subdistributing agency) to operate projects that facilitate home delivery of commodities to CSFP participants. Grant funds may be used for costs associated with transportation and distribution of commodities to CSFP participants, staffing required to operate home delivery services, and home delivery outreach to CSFP participants or potential participants. A state agency must prioritize eligible entities that serve CSFP participants who reside in rural areas. A state agency must also submit an annual report to FNS about the project, including best practices regarding the use of home delivery to improve the effectiveness of the CSFP.
United States · United States Congress · 18 July 2023
Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Rural Hospital Technical Assistance Program within the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Under the bill, USDA must establish and maintain (directly or by grant, contract, or cooperative agreement) a program to help eligible hospital facilities in rural areas with a population of 50,000 inhabitants or less. The program must provide tailored technical assistance and training to hospital facilities to identify development needs for maintaining essential health care services and support action plans for financial, operational, and quality improvement projects to meet these needs. Development needs include (1) constructing, expanding, and modernizing health care facilities; (2) increasing telehealth capabilities; and (3) acquiring or upgrading health care information systems (e.g., electronic health records). The program must also provide technical assistance and training to help hospital facilities to better manage their financial and business strategies and identify, and apply for assistance from, USDA loan and grant programs. In selecting eligible hospital facilities to participate in the program, USDA must give priority to borrowers and grantees of certain USDA rural assistance programs. USDA must also submit an annual report to Congress on the progress and results of the program.
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 · 13 July 2023
Upper Colorado and San Juan River Basins Endangered Fish Recovery Programs Reauthorization Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes through FY2031 and revises the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Upper Colorado River and San Juan River Basin recovery implementation programs to restore populations of certain endangered and threatened fish. The goal of the Upper Colorado River Endangered Fish Recovery Program is to recover the humpback chub (Gila Cypha) , bonytail (Gila elegans) , Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) , and razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) . The states of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming are partners in the program. The goal of the San Juan River Basin Recovery Implementation Program is to recover the Colorado pikeminnow ( Ptychocheilus lucius ) and razorback sucker ( Xyrauchen texanus ). The states of Colorado and New Mexico are partners in the program. The bill expands the programs to include the recovery of threatened fish stock. Thus, the bill requires the Upper Colorado River program to continue efforts to restore populations of the humpback chub, which was reclassified from an endangered species to a threatened species in 2001.
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
Don Young American Grown Act This bill prohibits the official display of a cut flower or green in any public area of a building of the Executive Office of the President, the Department of State, or the Department of Defense unless it is produced in the United States. The prohibition does not apply to any cut flower or green used by a federal officer or employee for personal display.
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 · 13 July 2023
Afghan Adjustment Act This bill provides lawful permanent resident status (also known as green cards ) to certain individuals who supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan and addresses related issues. Generally, to be eligible for a green card under this bill, an Afghan national must be (1) lawfully admitted into the United States, or (2) paroled into the United States on or after July 30, 2021. Any individual who was admitted or paroled after this bill's enactment is eligible only if the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) determines that the individual provided support to the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. DHS must provide a green card to an eligible individual who applies and meets certain requirements, including vetting requirements. The bill also authorizes special immigrant visas for certain Afghan nationals who supported the U.S. mission in Afghanistan while serving in certain capacities, including an individual who (1) served in the Afghan Air Force or certain other branches of the Afghan armed forces, or (2) was a female member of certain entities in the Afghanistan National Defense and Security Forces. To be eligible, such an individual must receive a recommendation from the Department of Defense (DOD). DOD must review the applicant's relevant records, including service records, after receiving a recommendation request. (Special immigrant visa holders qualify for a green card after meeting certain criteria.) The bill also authorizes a special immigrant visa for an Afghan national who is the parent or sibling of a member or veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
United States · United States Congress · 30 June 2023
Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act This bill restricts state and local governments from imposing certain standards or conditions on the preharvest production of agricultural products sold or offered for sale in interstate commerce. Specifically, it prohibits the imposition of such standards or conditions if (1) the production occurs in another state, and (2) the standard or condition adds to requirements applicable under federal law and the laws of the state and locality where the product is produced. The bill also allows for a private right of action to challenge state or local regulations relating to agricultural goods sold in interstate commerce. A person may bring an action in (1) the U.S. district court for the judicial district in which the person is affected by a regulation or the person resides, operates, or does business; or (2) any other appropriate court with jurisdiction.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2023
Farm Workforce Modernization Act of 2023 This bill addresses issues relating to visas for farmworkers, including provisions establishing a certified agricultural worker (CAW) status and changing the H-2A temporary worker program. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) may grant CAW status to an applying non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who (1) performed at least 1,035 hours of agricultural labor during the two-year period prior to June 23, 2023; (2) on that date was inadmissible, deportable, or under a grant of deferred enforced departure or temporary protected status; and (3) has been continuously present in the United States from that date until receiving CAW status. The bill imposes additional crime-related inadmissibility grounds on CAW applicants and makes some other grounds inapplicable. CAW status shall be valid for 5.5 years and may be extended. The applicant's spouse or children may receive CAW dependent status. A CAW applicant may not be detained or removed by DHS and shall be authorized for employment until DHS makes a final decision on the application. A CAW status recipient (and dependents) may apply for lawful permanent resident status (sometimes known as a green card) after meeting various requirements, including performing a certain amount of agricultural labor for a number of years. The bill also makes various changes to the H-2A program, such as (1) modifying the method for calculating and making adjustments to the H-2A worker minimum wage, (2) specifying how an employer may satisfy requirements that it attempted to recruit U.S. workers, (3) requiring H-2A employers to guarantee certain minimum work hours, (4) making the program available for agricultural work that is not temporary or seasonal, and (5) reserving a visa allocation for the dairy industry. DHS shall establish a pilot program allowing certain H-2A workers to apply for portable status, which gives the worker 60 days after leaving a position to secure new employment with a registered H-2A employer. DHS must also establish an electronic system patterned on the E-Verify Program for employers to verify an individual's identity and employment authorization. Employers hiring individuals for agricultural employment must use the system. This bill permanently establishes the Housing Preservation and Revitalization Program, which provides financing assistance for rural rental housing and off-farm labor housing and rental assistance for qualified tenants of such housing. It also authorizes the Department of Agriculture to provide various assistance, including funding for insuring loans and grants for new farmworker housing.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2023
Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2023 This bill establishes an alternative manure management program for eligible dairy and livestock producers and provides specified funds to the program for FY2024 through FY2028. The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish an alternative manure management program to award producers contracts to support carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. Producers must implement management measures that include adopting pasture-based management; alternative manure treatment and storage practices; a solid separation system (or installing a new, higher efficiency solid separation system); or scrape technologies, including vacuum technologies. The federal cost share may not exceed 90%. Further, the bill caps the maximum payment to a person or legal entity in any five-year period at $825,000. USDA must prioritize contracts to entities that address public health concerns (e.g., air quality and water quality) associated with dairy and livestock operations located near low-income or underserved communities. Further, USDA must ensure geographical diversity when awarding contracts. USDA must also reserve a majority of the program's funds for beginning, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, as well as farmers and ranchers that continue to transition towards enhanced methods of sequestering carbon dioxide, methane, or nitrous oxide emissions. The bill also includes composting practices as eligible projects under USDA's Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program. Finally, USDA must review practice standards for composting facilities and soil carbon amendments (e.g., compost) and develop and implement a new conservation practice standard for the on-farm production of compost.
United States · United States Congress · 23 June 2023
Healthcare Equality and Rights for Our Heroes Act or the HERO Act This bill allows claims to be brought against the United States for damages relating to the personal injury or death of a member of the Armed Forces arising out of a negligent or wrongful act or omission in providing medical, dental, or related health care functions at a military medical treatment facility. However, the bill does not apply to care provided at a medical treatment location deployed in an area of armed combat.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish within USDA a stand-alone competitive research and extension grant program to increase the competitiveness of specialty crops in the United States through the advancement and acceleration of mechanization and automation. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture). The bill provides specified funds for FY2024 and each succeeding year to carry out the program. The grant program includes projects that create or improve cost-effective technologies to reduce a specialty crop grower's manual labor requirements and increase the efficiency of crop production, resource management, harvesting, processing, post-harvest technologies, and packaging; increase adoption of mechanization and automation technologies; and accelerate automation and mechanization through prototype development, in-field trial testing, ongoing industry engagement, and rapid commercialization. Entities eligible for the grant program are federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations and corporations, state agricultural experiment stations, individuals, and organizations representing specialty crop growers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 This bill provides certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) with a path to receive permanent resident status and contains other immigration-related provisions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) shall provide conditional permanent resident status for 10 years to a qualifying individual who entered the United States as a minor and (1) is deportable or inadmissible, (2) has deferred enforced departure (DED) status or temporary protected status (TPS), or (3) is the child of certain classes of nonimmigrants. The bill imposes various qualifying requirements, such as the individual being continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2021, passing a background check, and being enrolled in or having completed certain educational programs. DHS shall remove the conditions placed on permanent resident status granted under this bill if the alien applies and meets certain requirements, such as completing certain programs at an educational institution, serving in the military, or being employed. Furthermore, DHS and DOJ shall provide lawful permanent resident status to certain individuals who had TPS, were eligible for TPS, or were eligible for DED status on certain dates. Such individuals must meet certain requirements and apply for such status within three years of this bill's enactment. DHS may not use information from applications filed under this bill or for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status for immigration enforcement purposes. This bill also repeals a restriction that bars a state from providing higher education benefits to undocumented individuals unless those benefits are available to all U.S. nationals without regard to residency in the state.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2023
Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act This bill waives the adjusted gross income limitations for payments or benefits under specific Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance programs for a person or legal entity that derives a portion of their income from agriculture. (Currently, a person or entity is not eligible to receive certain benefits during a crop, fiscal, or program year if their average gross income exceeds $900,000.) Specifically, in the case of an excepted payment or benefit, the adjusted gross income limitation is waived if 75% or more of the average adjusted gross income for the person or entity is derived from farming, ranching, or silviculture activities. These activities include agritourism, direct-to-consumer marketing of agricultural products, and the sale of agricultural equipment owned by such person or entity. The bill applies to the USDA Livestock Indemnity Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Tree Assistance Program; and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2023
Neighborhood Homes Investment Act This bill allows a business-related tax credit for certain development costs for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or remediation of qualified real property (i.e., real property affixed on a permanent foundation and comprised of four or fewer residential units, a condominium unit, or a house or apartment owned by a cooperative housing corporation). The bill also provides for the exclusion from gross income, for income tax purposes, of the value of any subsidy provided to a taxpayer by any state energy office for purposes of improvements made to a qualified residence.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2023
U.S.-Israel Partnership and Abraham Accords Enhancement Act of 2023 This bill modifies and extends certain authorities related to Israel. For example, the bill extends the authorization for the Department of Defense (DOD) to transfer certain defense items to Israel; extends the authorization to finance cooperative projects among the United States, Israel, and developing countries related to water resources, agriculture, and energy storage; extends energy cooperation and authorizes the Department of Energy to make grants to Israel to support advanced nuclear technologies, as well as for carbon capture, utilization, and storage; requires the U.S. Agency for International Development to ensure that applicants from Abraham Accord countries are eligible for Middle East Regional Cooperation grants; and requires the Department of State to report to Congress on U.S. diplomatic efforts to oppose politically motivated investigations against the United States and Israel at the International Criminal Court.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2023
Dignity for Immigrants while Guarding our Nation to Ignite and Deliver the American Dream Act of 2023 or as the DIGNIDAD (Dignity) Act of 2023 This bill addresses immigration-related issues, such as increasing hiring for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel and providing removal deferral for eligible non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law). For example, the bill requires the hiring of additional CBP personnel and authorizes recruitment, relocation, and retention bonuses for CBP personnel; provides funding for border infrastructure and equipment; makes it a crime to transmit the location of law enforcement with the intent to violate immigration laws or certain other federal laws; requires employers to verify the immigration status of individuals using an electronic employment eligibility confirmation system modeled after the E-Verify system; requires unaccompanied alien children to be processed and reunited with U.S.-based sponsors in accordance with the Flores settlement, which established policies pertaining to the treatment of minors without lawful immigration status; requires the Department of State to implement a strategy to address the key factors contributing to individuals from Central America traveling to the United States; provides a path to permanent resident status to eligible individuals without lawful immigration status who entered the United States as minors (commonly referred to as Dreamers); establishes the Dignity Program, which defers the removal of eligible individuals without lawful immigration status who meet various requirements, including paying into a fund to provide training to U.S. workers; and establishes the Redemption Program, which provides a path to permanent resident status to individuals who complete the Dignity Program and meet various requirements, including making additional payments into the U.S. worker fund.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 28081 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, California, as the "Major Megan McClung Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 300 Long Beach Boulevard in Long Beach, California, as the "Alan S. Lowenthal Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 22 May 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 7911 Imperial Highway in Downey, California, as the "Lucille Roybal-Allard Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Water Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2023 This bill establishes grants for owners and operators of publicly owned wastewater treatments systems and community water systems to support planning and other aspects of implementing smart water network technologies.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
This bill requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withdraw a proposed rule relating to conservation and landscape health and prohibits the BLM from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule or any substantially similar rule.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2023 This bill provides additional funding for Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) animal disease prevention and management programs and reauthorizes the programs through FY2028. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes and provides additional funding for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network (a nationally coordinated network and partnership of federal, state, and university-associated animal health laboratories that provides animal health diagnostic testing to detect biological threats to the nation's food animals); the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (which allows APHIS to partner with states, tribes, producer organizations, universities, and others to carry out projects that enhance local, regional, and national capabilities to prevent, prepare for, and respond to animal disease outbreaks); and the National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank (which allows the Department of Agriculture to stockpile animal vaccines and related products to use in the event of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease or other high-impact foreign animal diseases).
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
America's CHILDREN Act of 2023 or the Protecting Children of Long-Term Visa Holders Act of 2023 This bill provides lawful permanent resident status to certain college graduates who entered the United States as children and addresses other immigration-related issues. Specifically, this bill allows a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) to apply for lawful permanent resident status if the individual (1) was lawfully present in the United States as a dependent child of an individual admitted for employment, (2) was in the United States with such status for at least eight years, (3) has graduated from an institution of higher education in the United States, and (4) is not deportable or otherwise inadmissible. In addition, the individual must have been lawfully present in the United States for at least 10 years at the time of the application. The bill also modifies various provisions related to calculating an individual's age for immigration purposes and the priority date of certain immigration-related applications. For example, to determine whether an individual is a dependent child for certain immigration petitions, the individual's age at the time a petition is filed shall be the age used for that determination. (Currently, this determination for some petitions is based on the individual's age at the time a visa becomes available, so it is possible for an individual to be a dependent child when filing a petition but become too old to qualify by the time the visa is available.)
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2023
Supply Chain Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation to prioritize providing grants under certain programs for projects that improve or build resiliency in the supply chain, including multimodal projects. These programs include the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, the Mega Program, and the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2023
This bill requires the Department of Transportation to establish a pilot program allowing states to issue permits for qualifying vehicles with six or more axles and a gross vehicle weight of up to 91,000 pounds to be operated on a state's Interstate System. (Generally, the federal commercial vehicle weight limit is 80,000 pounds, with some exceptions.) Permit holders must report to the issuing state each accident of a permitted vehicle and the estimated gross vehicle weight at the time of the accident. Permit holders must also annually report to the issuing state the estimated miles travelled by the permitted vehicle on the state's Interstate System.
United States · United States Congress · 16 May 2023
National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support and Community Outreach Act This bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish a National Law Enforcement Officers Remembrance, Support, and Community Outreach Program. The bill further directs DOJ to award a grant under the program to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund for the expenses associated with community outreach, public education, and officer safety and wellness programs operated by the of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and National Law Enforcement Museum.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2023 This bill revises provisions of the low-income housing tax credit and renames it as the affordable housing tax credit . The bill increases the per capita dollar amount of the credit and its minimum ceiling amount beginning in 2023 and extends the inflation adjustment for such amounts. The bill modifies tenant income eligibility requirements and the average income formula for determining such income. It also revises rules for student occupancy of rental units and tenant voucher payments, and prohibits any refusal to rent to victims of domestic abuse. The bill further modifies the credit to increase state allocations of the credit; repeal the qualified census tract population cap; prohibit consideration of local approval and local government contribution requirements for housing projects; increase the credit for certain projects designated to serve extremely low-income households; increase the credit for certain bond-financed projects designated by state agencies; eliminate the basis reduction for properties that receive certain energy-related tax benefits; and increase the population cap for difficult development areas (i.e., areas with high construction, land, and utility costs relative to area median gross income). The bill also includes Indian and rural areas as difficult development areas and modifies other requirements relating to casualty losses, tax-exempt bond financing, and foreclosures.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2023
Superior National Forest Restoration Act This bill rescinds Public Land Order No. 7917 for Withdrawal of Federal Lands; Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties, MN , which bars mining operations on specified Forest Service lands in Minnesota. The bill directs the Forest Service to complete necessary environmental and regulatory review for all mine plans of operations within the Superior National Forest within 18 months of submission; and reissue each cancelled mineral lease, preference right lease, and prospecting permit relating to lands within that forest. A lease or permit reissued under this provision is not subject to judicial review.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2023
Direct Capital Access Act of 2023 or the DCA Act of 2023 This bill increases the number of daily round-trip flights allowed at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Specifically, this bill adds 56 new slots at DCA to allow for 28 additional daily round-trip flights. (Airlines flying to and from DCA are subject to slot and perimeter rules set by federal law and regulation. The slot rules determine the total number of flight slots that can be handled in a given time period. In addition, a statutory perimeter rule limits nonstop flights to a 1,250-mile radius unless they are granted an exemption in law.) Current law limits DCA to a maximum of 67 hourly slots for flights both within- and beyond-perimeter; a round-trip flight serving DCA requires two slots (or a slot pair). Of those slots, 40 daily slots are exempt from the perimeter rule. Under the bill's slot increase, operations at DCA may not increase by more than eight flights per hour.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2023
Supporting all Healthy Options when Purchasing Produce Act or the SHOPP Act This bill modifies the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), which provides grants for projects that provide incentives for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase fruits and vegetables. Specifically, the bill amends GusNIP to require the Department of Agriculture to give priority to projects that increase year-round availability of nutrition incentives by offering fresh frozen fruits or vegetables in the program. The bill also amends the GusNIP Produce Prescription Program to include fresh frozen fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh and fresh frozen legumes. Currently, only fresh fruits and vegetables are covered under the program. (This program supports projects that demonstrate and evaluate the impact of fruit and vegetable prescriptions on increasing procurement and consumption of fruits and vegetables, reducing individual and household food insecurity, and reducing healthcare usage and associated costs.)
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2023
Increased TSP Access Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to modify the certification process for Technical Service Providers (TSPs) at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) by establishing an approval process for nonfederal certifying entities and a streamlined certification process for TSPs that hold certain specialty certifications. (TSPs are third-party service providers, such as private businesses, Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations, who work on behalf of customers to offer planning, design, and implementation services that meet NRCS criteria.) The bill specifies that USDA must ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, third-party providers with expertise in the technical aspects of conservation practice design, implementation, and evaluation are eligible to become approved TSPs. USDA must provide a streamlined certification process for TSPs who hold appropriate specialty certifications (e.g., certified crop advisors). In determining the eligibility of a nonfederal certifying entity, USDA must consider the ability, experience, expertise, and history of the entity. USDA must decide whether to approve an application submitted by a nonfederal certifying entity to certify TSPs not later than 40 business days after receiving an application. USDA must review a TSP's certification by a nonfederal certifying entity not later than 10 business days after receiving a notification from the nonfederal entity. If the certification is satisfactory, USDA must include the TSP on a USDA-maintained registry of certified TSPs. The bill also specifies that TSPs must be paid at rates equivalent to technical assistance provided by USDA. Further, USDA must provide accessible public information on TSPs, including information on funding, contributions, certification results, and utilization rates.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2023
Save Our Sequoias Act This bill provides for the conservation of giant sequoia trees ( Sequoiadendron giganteum ) in California. Specifically, it provides statutory authority for the Giant Sequoia Lands Coalition and outlines the coalition's duties. The coalition must submit a Giant Sequoia Health and Resiliency Assessment and annually update it. The information from the assessment must be made available so the information can be integrated into certain other plans. The coalition must also create and maintain a website that contains the assessment, educational materials, searchable information about individual giant sequoia groves, and a searchable database to track the status and costs of reforestation and rehabilitation activities. In addition, the bill declares an emergency on certain public lands and allows officials to carry out protection plans during the emergency to respond to the threat of wildfires, insects, and drought. The emergency expires after seven years. The Department of the Interior must develop and implement a Giant Sequoia Reforestation and Rehabilitation Strategy. Finally, the bill establishes a variety of programs and funds to support the conservation of giant sequoias.
United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2023
Postal Police Reform Act of 2023 This bill removes certain restrictions on U.S. Postal Service (USPS) police officers to investigate criminal matters related to the USPS and postal mail.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Weather Alert Response and Notification Act or the WARN Act This bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study the effectiveness of local alerting systems in disseminating timely and relevant information during weather-related emergencies. In conducting the study, the GAO must (1) evaluate the efficacy of various alert mediums, including platforms such as social media; and (2) establish a set of best practices for such alerts.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
This bill modifies provisions regarding the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly referred to as the duck stamp , including to require an individual to be carrying an electronic stamp, validated by a paper stamp, at the time of taking waterfowl. The bill requires states to issue electronic stamps at the time of purchase and to issue paper stamps after March 10 each year to each individual who purchased an electronic stamp in the preceding year. The electronic stamps are valid until the first June 30 after issuance.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Veteran Improvement Commercial Driver License Act of 2023 This bill authorizes approval of certain commercial driver education programs for purposes of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational assistance if the programs meet specified requirements. Under current law, the VA may not approve enrollment of a veteran in courses for programs that do not lead to a standard degree that are offered at a new branch (i.e., a branch that has been operating for less than 2 years) of an educational institution. Under the bill, a commercial driver education program offered at a new branch of an educational institution may be approved if it is appropriately licensed and uses the same curriculum as a commercial driver education program offered by the educational institution at another location that is already approved for purposes of VA educational assistance. The educational institution must submit a report demonstrating the curriculum at the new branch is the same as the curriculum at the primary location in order to be exempt from the current prohibition against course approval at new branches.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor final rule entitled Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States and published on February 28, 2023. This rule makes changes to the methodology used to set adverse effect wage rates for H-2A workers (temporary agricultural workers), including by using Bureau of Labor Statistics wage surveys in certain instances. (Generally, the minimum wage for an H-2A worker is the highest of the adverse effect wage rate, the applicable minimum wage, the prevailing wage for that occupation in that area, or any agreed-upon collective bargaining wage.)
United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2023
Armenian Genocide Education Act This bill requires the Library of Congress to maintain a public website and otherwise support educational initiatives to promote understanding about the Armenian Genocide (the killing of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923).
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023 This bill eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Farm Credit Administration Independent Authority Act This bill specifies that the Farm Credit Administration (FCA) is the sole regulator of the Farm Credit System (FCS) and establishes reporting requirements for FCS institutions. Specifically, the bill states that the FCA is the sole and independent regulator of the FCS and exempts entities that are supervised by the FCA from the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA). (The bill addresses a proposed rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau [CFPB] that would implement provisions of the ECOA by requiring covered financial institutions, including FCS lenders, to collect and report to the CFPB data on credit applications for small businesses, including the principal owner's race, sex, and ethnicity.) The bill also requires FCS institutions to (1) request that loan applicants and borrowers that are small farmers disclose information identifying their race, sex, and ethnicity; and (2) annually report the collected information to the FCA. If an FCS institution customer does not voluntarily report the requested information, the FCA may not require the institution to use other means to deduce the information.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Reentry Act of 2023 This bill allows for Medicaid payment of medical services furnished to an incarcerated individual during the 30-day period preceding the individual's release. The Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Payment and Access Commission must report on specified information relating to the accessibility and quality of health care for incarcerated individuals, including the impact of the bill's changes.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Renewable Natural Gas Incentive Act of 2023 This bill allows a tax credit through 2033 equal to $1 times the number of gallons of renewable natural gas or gasoline gallon equivalent of nonliquid renewable natural gas for use as a fuel in a motor vehicle or motorboat or for use as a fuel in aviation.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
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 · 28 March 2023
Aviation Workforce Development Act This bill expands the qualified tuition program (commonly referred to as 529 plans) to allow distributions to pay education-related expenses required for participation in certain aviation maintenance and commercial pilot courses.
