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 · 21 September 2023
Pay Our Military Act This bill provides continuing appropriations for military pay for any period during which interim or full-year appropriations for FY2024 are not in effect (i.e., a government shutdown). Specifically, the bill provides FY2024 continuing appropriations for the pay and allowances of (1) members of the Armed Forces, including reserve components, who perform active service or inactive-duty training during the period; and (2) civilian employees and contractors of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard when the Coast Guard is not operating as a service in the Department of the Navy) who are providing support to such members of the Armed Forces. If a government shutdown occurs, the bill provides the continuing appropriations until the earlier of (1) the enactment into law of specified appropriations legislation, or (2) January 1, 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2023
Parity for Tribal Educators Act This bill expands eligibility for enrollment in the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) to employees of tribally controlled schools. The bill requires the Bureau of Indian Affairs to pay the government contributions for FERS and TSP for these employees.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2023
Helping Ensure Access to Local TeleHealth Act of 2023 or the HEALTH Act of 2023 This bill modifies requirements relating to Medicare coverage of telehealth services, including services that are furnished by federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs). Specifically, the bill expands coverage to include audio-only telehealth services. It also permanently allows FQHCs and RHCs to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner) for telehealth services and excludes such services from certain geographic restrictions. Payment must be made in the same manner as for non-telehealth services, rather than in accordance with a separate methodology determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2023
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2023 This bill establishes new criteria for determining which states and political subdivisions must obtain preclearance before changes to voting practices may take effect. Preclearance is the process of receiving preapproval from the Department of Justice (DOJ) or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia before making legal changes that would affect voting rights. A state and all of its political subdivisions shall be subject to preclearance of voting practice changes for a 10-year period if, during the previous 25 years: 15 or more voting rights violations occurred in the state; 10 or more violations occurred, at least 1 of which was committed by the state itself; or 3 or more violations occurred and the state administers the elections. A political subdivision as a separate unit shall also be subject to preclearance for a 10-year period if three or more voting rights violations occurred there during the previous 25 years. States and political subdivisions that meet certain thresholds regarding minority groups must preclear covered practices before implementation, such as redistricting. States and political subdivisions must notify the public of changes to voting practices. The bill authorizes DOJ to require states or political subdivisions to provide certain documents or answers to questions for enforcing voting rights. The bill outlines factors courts must consider when hearing challenges to voting practices, such as the extent of any history of official voting discrimination in the state or political subdivision.
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 · 18 September 2023
This resolution expresses the sense that China seeks to dominate technology-related sectors through unfair trade practices as outlined in the Made in China 2025 plan (a broad set of industrial plans aiming to boost competitiveness in global manufacturing). The resolution also expresses that U.S. businesses, research institutions, and federal entities involved in research and design are targets for such disruption, and should prepare themselves for growing unfair Chinese trade practices and continued theft of intellectual property.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2023
Promoting Resilient Buildings Act of 2023 This bill modifies two Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster preparedness and mitigation programs to allow grants to be used to implement the two latest published editions of building codes instead of only the latest edition. Specifically, the bill allows (1) grants under the Pre-Disaster Mitigation Grant Program to continue to be used to implement the two latest editions indefinitely; and (2) capitalization grants under the Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund Program to be used to implement the two latest editions instead of only the latest edition.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2023
Gun Suicide Prevention Act This bill prohibits manufacturers and retailers from selling firearms unless the firearm includes a label with the toll-free telephone number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2023
No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act This bill denies employers a tax deduction for any expenditures incurred for attempting to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations or labor organization activities, such as elections, labor disputes, and collective actions. The bill requires employers to report on their attempts to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations and their activities.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2023
Collision Avoidance Systems Act of 2023 This bill allows for the use of a pulsating light system for vehicle braking. Specifically, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 108 (Standard 108) must be deemed to allow for the use of a pulsating light system on covered vehicles (i.e., passenger cars, multipurpose passenger vehicles, trucks, buses, trailers, and motorcycles). The Department of Transportation must issue regulations to update Standard 108 to (1) include performance-based standards for pulsating light systems, and (2) allow for the use of the systems on motor vehicles. As background, Standard 108 regulates all automotive lighting, signaling, and reflective devices. Under the bill, a pulsating light system includes a system for a high-mounted stop lamp in which the lamp pulses rapidly no more than four times and for no more than 1.2 seconds when the brake of the vehicle is applied and then converts to a continuous light (as a normal stop lamp) until the brake is released.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2023
African Diaspora Heritage Month Act of 2023 This bill requires the President to designate by proclamation African Diaspora Heritage Month. The proclamation shall be issued every year and urge the observation of African Diaspora Heritage Month by state and local governments.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2023
Child Care Stabilization Act This bill provides additional funding through FY2028 for child care stabilization grants under which lead state agencies make subgrants to child care providers for personnel costs, facility costs, the purchase of personal protective equipment, and other costs related to providing child care services.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2023
No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act This bill denies employers a tax deduction for any expenditures incurred for attempting to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations or labor organization activities, such as elections, labor disputes, and collective actions. The bill requires employers to report on their attempts to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations and their activities.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
9/11 Memorial and Museum Act This bill directs the Department of Homeland Security to award to the nonprofit organization that operates the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City a one-time grant to be used solely for the purposes of the operation, security, and maintenance of the memorial and museum. As a condition of receiving the grant, the organization must provide for free admission to all facilities and museums associated with the memorial and museum for active and retired members of the Armed Forces, individuals who were registered first responders to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and family members of victims of such attacks; provide for dedicated free admission hours for the general public at least once a week; and allow for annual federal audits of its financial statements.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
SSI Savings Penalty Elimination Act This bill increases resource limits used to determine eligibility for the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI is a federal assistance program that provides monthly cash payments to aged, blind, or disabled individuals with limited income and resources. Specifically, the bill increases the resource limits from $2,000 to $10,000 for individuals and from $3,000 to $20,000 for married couples. The bill annually adjusts the limits for inflation.
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 · 12 September 2023
Fairness to Kids with Cancer Act of 2023 This bill requires the share of federal funds for cancer research that is allocated to pediatric cancer research to equal the percentage of the U.S. population that is under the age of 18.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
This resolution condemns Russia for exacerbating global food insecurity through its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The resolution condemns Russia for suspending its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a 2022 United Nations-brokered agreement between Ukraine, Turkey, and Russia for grain exports through the Black Sea. The resolution also calls on Russia to immediately resume participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative or pledge noninterference for commercial grain shipping in the Black Sea without any preconditions. Additionally, the resolution expresses solidarity with all people affected by food insecurity resulting from Russia's war against Ukraine.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2023
Prevent Youth Suicide Act This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to issue a rule requiring educational agencies and institutions, as a condition of receiving certain federal education funds, to carry out school-based suicide prevention protocols, suicide postvention support, and trauma-informed care. The bill applies to educational agencies and institutions that serve students in grades 6-12. Additionally, the bill requires ED to provide each educational agency and institution subject to the rule with the resources, guidelines, and technical assistance necessary to comply with the rule’s requirements. Further, ED must establish compliance monitoring, including periodic assessments, evaluations, and audits. Finally, ED must (1) encourage educational agencies and institutions to provide feedback on the effectiveness of the rule’s requirements, and (2) review such feedback and make necessary revisions to the rule.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2023
Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act of 2023 This bill increases from $300 to $1,000 the tax deduction for the expenses of eligible educators. An eligible educator is, with respect to any taxable year, an individual who is a K-12 teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide in a school for at least 900 hours during a school year. The bill also requires the amount of the deduction to be adjusted annually for inflation.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2023
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that all 50 states should include the study of the events of the September 11th terrorist attacks in the curriculum of elementary and secondary schools.
United States · United States Congress · 8 September 2023
Women's Business Centers Improvement Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes the Women's Business Center Program through FY2027, raises the cap on individual center grants, establishes an accreditation program for grant recipients, and revises the duties of the Office of Women's Business Ownership. Specifically, the bill modifies the Women's Business Center Program to enable the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide initial and continuation grants to eligible entities to operate women's business centers for the benefit of women-owned small businesses. The SBA must also publish standards for a program to accredit entities that receive grants from the Women's Business Center Program, and such entities' receipt of continuation grants shall be contingent upon their obtaining accreditation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 September 2023
Investing in All of America Act of 2023 This bill modifies the limit on the amount of financing available to a Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Specifically, the bill includes amounts the SBIC invests in small businesses in rural areas or areas of critical technology as amounts that may be excluded (up to an aggregate of 50% of the private capital of the SBIC) from the calculation of the SBIC's financing limit. The bill also indexes the limit to inflation. The SBA must report annually on the economic activity and jobs directly and indirectly resulting from the exclusion.
United States · United States Congress · 1 September 2023
Building Unity through Dual Sponsors Resolution or the BUDS Resolution This bill permits two Members of the House of Representatives to jointly sponsor legislation if one is from the majority party and one is from the minority party. Under current House rules, only one Member may serve as the sponsor for a piece of legislation, though additional Members may serve as cosponsors.
United States · United States Congress · 29 August 2023
Michel O. Maceda Memorial Act This bill designates the Air and Marine Operations Marine Unit of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection located in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, as the Michel O. Maceda Marine Unit .
United States · United States Congress · 29 August 2023
Rural Telehealth and Education Enhancement Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes the Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program through FY2028. This Department of Agriculture program provides grants to help rural communities gain the technology and training necessary to engage in telemedicine and distance learning.
United States · United States Congress · 25 August 2023
Expanding the Voluntary Opportunities for Translations in Elections Act or the Expanding the VOTE Act This bill expands access to voting materials for individuals with limited proficiency in the English language. Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (VRA) requires covered states and political subdivisions to provide voting materials and other language assistance to persons who are American Indian, Asian American, Alaskan Natives, or of Spanish heritage and whose ability to speak or understand English limits electoral participation. A state or political subdivision that is subject to Section 203 is prohibited from providing English-only voting materials in an election. Among other requirements, this bill (1) requires the Department of Justice to issue a notice of prohibition, including the trigger threshold at which the prohibition applies, to certain states and political subdivisions; and (2) requires covered states and political subdivisions to provide written translations of all voting materials, with the consent of any applicable tribal government, to election workers. Additionally, the bill requires the Election Assistance Commission to make incentive grants for states and political subdivisions to provide translated voting materials. The bill also directs the Government Accountability Office to study and report on the impact of (1) reducing the threshold requirement under Section 203 of the VRA, and (2) expanding the definition of language minorities to include native speakers of additional languages.
United States · United States Congress · 22 August 2023
Expedited Hiring for VA Trained Psychiatrists Act of 2023 This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to appoint a psychiatrist who completes a residency at a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facility to a VHA health care position immediately after such residency, without regard to civil service or classification laws, if (1) the psychiatrist meets the qualifications established in regulations prescribed for the position, and (2) the position has been unfilled for at least 35 days.
United States · United States Congress · 22 August 2023
National Agricultural Crisis Hotline Act of 2023 This bill establishes a national agricultural crisis hotline. The bill also reauthorizes the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (FRSAN) Program through FY2028. (The FRSAN Program funds projects that aim to maintain a network connecting individuals engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations to stress assistance programs.) Specifically, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) must establish, and maintain directly or by grant or contract, a national agricultural crisis hotline as part of the FRSAN. The crisis hotline must provide emotional support, information, suicide crisis intervention, mental health and substance use disorder, and agricultural support resources to farmers, farm managers, farm workers, and ranchers affected by mental health and substance use disorders and their families or household members. Under the program, USDA or an entity receiving a grant or contract must (1) form partnerships between the crisis hotline and existing farm telephone helplines and websites; and (2) develop, and periodically update, a directory of organizations to which hotline staff can make referrals. The bill also includes requirements for the qualifications and training for the call responders and supervisors operating the hotline, data collection by the hotline, and conducting a public awareness campaign for the hotline. In addition, the bill expands the types of programs eligible for FRSAN grants to include mental health training for agriculture professionals (e.g., farm loan officers, extension agents, and state department of agriculture staff).
United States · United States Congress · 18 August 2023
Promoting Lifelong Activity for Youth Act of 2023 or the PLAY Act of 2023 This bill modifies the child and dependent care tax credit to cover expenses for youth physical activities. Such expenses include registration costs, fees, and expenses for the participation of taxpayer dependents between the ages of 4 and 18 years in fitness facilities and physical exercise or activity instruction. The bill also increases the maximum dollar amount for dependent care flexible spending arrangements. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to promote participation in recreational youth sports.
United States · United States Congress · 11 August 2023
Accelerating the Growth of Rural Innovation and Tourism Opportunities to Uphold Rural Industries and Sustainable Marketplaces Act or the AGRITOURISM Act This bill establishes an Office of Agritourism within the Department of Agriculture to encourage and promote, in each state, agritourism activities and businesses.
![Official portrait of Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/115_rp_nj_5_gottheimer_josh_200.jpg)