United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2023
School Security Enhancement Act This bill allows local educational agencies to use specified portions of Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants for planning and designing school buildings and facilities, installing infrastructure, and implementing other measures to strengthen security on school premises.
United States · United States Congress · 8 August 2023
Providing Essential Temporary Shelter Assistance For Emergencies Act of 2023 or the PETSAFE Act of 2023 This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a pilot program to provide grants for mobile pet shelters during emergencies and major disasters. FEMA may provide funds to state, local, and tribal governments to establish a new pet shelter site that is a mobile unit, which may be a companion animal mobile equipment trailer, to be used in case of evacuation due to emergencies and major disasters. FEMA's authority to approve projects under this bill shall cease on January 1, 2029.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2023
Preserving Access to Home Health Act of 2023 This bill repeals certain payment adjustments for home health services under Medicare that are based on behavioral changes. It also requires the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to incorporate certain information into its evaluations of the financial performance and impact of home health agencies, including trends under Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, and other payers with respect to home health services.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2023
Vaccine Access Improvement Act of 2023 This bill modifies the excise tax on certain vaccines to (1) automatically impose the tax on vaccines that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adds to the Vaccine Injury Table, and (2) require HHS to notify the Department of the Treasury and Congress when new vaccines are added to the table. (The excise tax funds the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, which compensates people who have been injured by vaccines listed on the table.)
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2023
This bill requires the Department of Defense to evaluate and report on beneficiary access to TRICARE network pharmacies under the TPharm5 contract (i.e., the current retail pharmacy network contract), including changes versus the TPharm4 contract.
United States · United States Congress · 4 August 2023
Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act This bill authorizes through FY2028 specified provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for early childhood education. Specifically, the bill authorizes Part B, Section 619 (grants to states for preschool programs serving children with disabilities ages three to five) and Part C (grants to aid states in implementing early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families).
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Visitor Visa Wait Time Reduction Act This bill requires the Department of State to report to Congress on the average waiting time to get a visitor visa interview at each diplomatic or consular post. For each post where the average waiting time is longer than 300 days, the State Department must temporarily reassign personnel at that post to shorten the waiting time.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Healthy Poultry Assistance and Indemnification Act This bill expands the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) producer indemnity and compensation program to include compensation for all poultry growers and layers located in an APHIS-determined control area. Currently, APHIS provides indemnity and compensation to producers to remove animals classified as affected, suspect, or exposed to diseases of concern, including highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). An APHIS-determined control area consists of both an infected zone and a buffer zone. Under the bill, APHIS must compensate all owners of poultry growing or laying facilities for flocks of birds that the facility owner was prohibited from growing or laying due to the location of the facility within a control area. This may include facilities that are located in the buffer zones and have non-infected poultry. Further, the bill establishes a new compensation payment formula that requires payments to be based on the owner’s average income from the five most recent flocks. Under the bill, APHIS's compensation determination is final and not subject to judicial or administrative review (other than by the Secretary of Agriculture or a designee).
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Behavioral Health Information Technology Coordination Act This bill establishes a grant program to support behavioral health integration for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. Specifically, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology must award grants to behavioral health care providers, including physicians, psychologists, and social workers, to support integration and coordination of services for individuals with mental health and substance use disorders. Authorized activities include purchasing or upgrading technology to meet specified federal certification standards for health information technology and to support integrated services with respect to screenings, treatment, and recovery.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
Rural Economic-development Assistance and Consultation to Help Our Tribes Act or the REACH Our Tribes Act This bill requires certain actions, particularly by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), for tribal consultation, data reporting, and interagency collaboration for economic development. Specifically, the bill requires USDA to establish a formal process for consultation with tribal governments on (1) annual budget requests; and (2) bills proposing the reauthorization of certain USDA programs over a period of multiple years with budgetary impacts, including bills providing for the reauthorization of USDA programs (commonly known as farm bills). USDA must report to Congress on this consultation process. Additionally, the bill requires USDA to establish a plan for analyzing and publicly reporting to tribal entities on funding provided through USDA programs for which tribal entities are eligible to apply. The bill also requires USDA, in consultation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Economic Development Administration, to establish an interagency task force on economic development programs. This task force must (1) review guidance and application requirements for economic development programs administered by USDA, and (2) develop interagency agreements to reduce administrative and planning burdens for applicants to such programs and the federal agencies administering such programs. The Department of Commerce must establish a working group to develop and regularly update a comprehensive and public repository of federal economic development programs that are available to tribal entities.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
National Dam Safety Program Reauthorization Act of 2023 This bill extends through FY2028 several initiatives relating to dam safety. Specifically, the bill extends (1) the National Dam Safety Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); (2) the Interagency Committee on Dam Safety; (3) FEMA's National Inventory of Dams; and (4) outreach, research, training, and staff personnel related to dam safety.
United States · United States Congress · 1 August 2023
This resolution honors and recognizes the patriotism and contributions made by generations of veterans service organizations, veteran advocacy groups, and volunteers and commends the members of such organizations for their dedicated service to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, their families, and their communities. The resolution also encourages the people of the United States to promote awareness of the contributions and dedication of members of veterans service, organizations, veteran advocacy groups, and volunteers to members of the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. Additionally, the resolution calls on citizens to follow the example of such groups and volunteer support and services to those who have served the country.
United States · United States Congress · 28 July 2023
Nurse Corps Tax Parity Act of 2023 This bill excludes from taxpayer gross income, for income tax purposes, amounts attributable to Nurse Corps scholarships and loan repayment programs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
This bill designates the community-based outpatient clinic of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, as the Henry Parham Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic or the Henry Parham VA Clinic.
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 · 27 July 2023
Better Collaboration, Accountability, and Regulatory Enforcement for Animals Act of 2023 or the Better CARE for Animals Act of 2023 This bill modifies enforcement provisions under the Animal Welfare Act, including by allowing the Department of Justice (DOJ) to bring civil actions against violators of the act for appropriate relief, such as removing animals, revoking violators' licenses, or issuing civil penalties. DOJ must use the penalties to pay for the temporary care for animals pending the disposition of civil or criminal proceedings that allege violations of the act with respect to such animals.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Fair Access for Individuals to Receive Leave Act or the FAIR Leave Act This bill eliminates a limitation on the amount of leave that spouses working for the same employer may access under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Under current law, an eligible individual may access up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave per year, but spouses with the same employer are required to share a total of 12 weeks of FMLA leave per year if the leave is taken for the birth of a child, the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care, or to care for a parent with a serious health condition. The bill repeals this limitation, making each spouse eligible for up to 12 weeks of leave per year in these situations.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Chesapeake National Recreation Area Act This bill establishes the Chesapeake National Recreation Area in Maryland and Virginia as a unit of the National Park System (NPS). The Department of the Interior may acquire land and land-based resources within the recreation area boundaries by (1) donation, (2) purchase from a willing seller with donated or appropriated funds, (3) exchange, or (4) transfer from another federal agency. Interior, in consultation with the Chesapeake Executive Council, must prepare a management plan for the recreation area as specified by the bill. Interior must also conduct transportation planning, in coordination with the Department of Transportation and state transportation agencies, to minimize traffic in the surrounding community. Additionally, Interior must establish an advisory board for the recreation area. Finally, the bill directs NPS's Chesapeake Bay office to administer the Chesapeake Gateways and Watertrails Network in coordination with the recreation area.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Partnership and Cooperative Transparency with Ukraine Act or the PACT with Ukraine Act This bill establishes the Special Envoy for Partnership with Ukraine and two entities to evaluate U.S. assistance to Ukraine. The special advisor shall support the official U.S. diplomatic presence in Ukraine and be responsible for bolstering the U.S.-Ukraine relationship. The special envoy shall also serve as a primary advisor to the President on issues including (1) cultural preservation, (2) economic opportunity, (3) post-conflict reconstruction, and (4) promoting peace in Ukraine. Next, the bill establishes the Commission on Cooperative Transparency with Ukraine. The commission is responsible for examining aspects of U.S. financial and material aid to Ukraine, including the effectiveness and any misuse or waste of such aid. The bill authorizes the commission to subpoena, take testimony, and collect evidence for carrying out its responsibilities. The commission must report to Congress on a quarterly basis. Finally, the bill establishes the Ukraine Oversight Interagency Working Group within the U.S. Agency for International Development. The working group must report monthly to Congress about U.S. aid to Ukraine. Specifically, the report must detail how much aid was provided, the amount expended or destroyed, the amount used, the time elapsed between the receipt of aid and its expenditure, and instances of misuse.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Public Housing Fire Safety Act This bill creates a grant program, to be administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, for public housing agencies to install automatic sprinkler systems in certain public housing projects.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Space Infrastructure Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to designate space systems, services, and technology as a critical infrastructure sector. Under current law, critical infrastructure means systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems and assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety, or any combination of those matters.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
This resolution encourages law enforcement departments to use the National Night Out as an opportunity to improve relationships with the communities they serve.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Tax Fairness for Workers Act This bill allows an above-the-line tax deduction for union dues and expenses. (An above-the-line deduction is subtracted from gross income and is available whether or not a taxpayer itemizes other deductions.) The bill also reinstates the miscellaneous itemized tax deduction for unreimbursed expenses attributable to the performance of services as an employee (Under current law, all miscellaneous itemized deductions are suspended through 2025).
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
This resolution condemns Iran for the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. It also urges the Biden Administration and U.S. allies to publicly condemn the massacre and to pressure Iran to provide information to the families of the victims.
United States · United States Congress · 27 July 2023
Alyssa's Legacy Youth in Schools Safety Alert Act or the ALYSSA Act This bill requires each local educational agency (LEA), as a condition of receiving federal elementary and secondary education funds, to ensure that each elementary and secondary school served by the LEA is equipped with at least one silent panic alarm for use in a school security emergency.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
Auto Reenroll Act of 2023 This bill allows sponsors of automatic contribution arrangements to reenroll their employees in such arrangements at least once every three years. The purpose of the bill is to increase employee participation in tax-exempt pension plans and other retirement arrangements.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
Expanding Seniors' Access to PFAS Testing Act This bill provides for Medicare coverage of testing for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with no cost-sharing. (PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing.)
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
South Asian Heart Health Awareness and Research Act of 2023 This bill authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award supplemental grants to states for heart-disease research and awareness among communities disproportionately affected by heart disease, including the South Asian population of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
This resolution (1) recognizes the importance of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 in advancing independent living for individuals with disabilities; (2) pledges continued efforts to address remaining barriers for individuals with disabilities; and (3) calls on federal agencies to provide additional resources for individuals with disabilities with respect to economic self-sufficiency, community-based services, housing, telecommunication, and transportation.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
Mental Health Professionals Workforce Shortage Loan Repayment Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes through FY2032 and expands the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program. Through this program, the Health Resources and Services Administration provides loan repayment assistance to individuals who agree to work for a period of time in the field of substance use disorder treatment. In particular, the bill expands eligibility to include individuals who agree to work in mental health professional shortage areas for a period of time. The bill also allows the use of the loan repayment assistance to repay any loan incurred to obtain a post-graduate degree in a mental health or related field. (Current law limits the loans eligible for repayment to loans for education and training for substance use disorder treatment employment and specified nursing and federal education loans.)
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
Improving Medicaid Programs' Response to Overdose Victims and Enhancing Addiction Care Act or the IMPROVE Addiction Care Act This bill establishes additional requirements for state Medicaid drug-use review programs with respect to individuals who experience opioid-related overdoses. Specifically, programs must include protocols that (1) connect individuals who have experienced an opioid-related overdose within the last 1 to 5 years (as set by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) to appropriate treatment and recovery services; (2) notify providers who prescribe opioids about subsequent fatal overdoses; (3) ensure providers are notified about an individual's history of opioid-use disorder, overdoses, or poisonings; and (4) educate providers about proper prescribing practices for these individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 26 July 2023
Pell Grant Flexibility Act This bill changes certain requirements relating to the Federal Pell Grant program for students with disabilities. Currently, Pell Grant awards are based on enrollment status and a student must attend an institution of higher education (IHE) on a full-time basis in order to receive the maximum award amount. This bill provides an exception for a student with a disability who takes a reduced course load (as determined appropriate by the student's IHE). Specifically, the bill deems such a student as enrolled on a full-time basis for purposes of calculating the amount of the student's Pell Grant.