United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2023
Combating Obstruction Against Leasing Act or the COAL Act This bill requires the Department of the Interior to take specified actions with respect to qualified coal leasing applications. Specifically, Interior must, with respect to each qualified application, promptly publish a draft environmental assessment and any applicable implementing regulations, finalize the fair market value of the coal tract for which a lease by application is pending, take all intermediate actions necessary to grant the application, and grant the application; and previously awarded coal leases, grant any additional approvals of Interior, or any bureau, agency, or division of Interior, required for mining activities to commence. The bill provides that, notwithstanding any judicial decision to the contrary or a departmental review of the federal coal leasing program, Secretarial Order 3338 (which directs the Bureau of Land Management to analyze and consider potential leasing and management reforms to the program), issued by Interior on January 15, 2016, shall have no force or effect.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2023
Freedom To Invest in Tomorrow's Workforce Act This bill allows the use of funds in a qualified tuition program (commonly known as a 529 account) to pay for expenses associated with obtaining or maintaining recognized postsecondary credentials.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2023
Comprehensive Grizzly Bear Management Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of the Interior to issue a final rule relating to removing the Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem population of grizzly bears from the federal list of endangered and threatened wildlife, without regard to any other provision of law that applies to issuance of such rule. Such issuance shall not be subject to judicial review.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2023
Protect Children's Innocence Act This bill places restrictions on the provision of gender affirming care. Gender affirming care includes performing surgery, administering medication, or performing other procedures for the purpose of changing the body of an individual to correspond to a sex that differs from the individual's biological sex. Specifically, the bill makes it a felony to perform any gender affirming care on a minor and it permits a minor on whom such care is performed to bring a civil action against each individual who provided the care. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for gender affirming care or for health insurance that covers such care. Such care may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for gender affirming care. Further, plans that include coverage for such care are not eligible for federal subsidies. Finally, the bill prohibits institutions of higher education from offering instruction in gender affirming care. It also makes any non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who performs gender affirming care on a minor deportable and inadmissible to the United States. The restrictions under this bill do not apply to the provision of care under certain circumstances such as when an individual does not have normal sex chromosome structure, sex steroid hormone production, or sex steroid hormone action.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2023
No WHO Pandemic Preparedness Treaty Without Senate Approval Act This bill establishes that any convention or agreement on pandemic-related issues reached by the World Health Assembly (WHA) pursuant to a specified negotiating body shall be deemed to be a treaty requiring the advice and consent of the Senate. Specifically, this bill applies to any international instrument negotiated by the intergovernmental negotiating body established by the WHA in December 2021 to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2023
Expanding America's National Cemetery Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs, before Arlington National Cemetery reaches capacity, to expand or otherwise modify an existing national cemetery to ensure that full military honors are provided in a specified manner. Specifically, the VA must expand or modify such a cemetery to ensure that full military honors are provided (1) in a manner consistent with the full military honors provided for interment in Arlington National Cemetery as of March 31, 2023; and (2) using the eligibility criteria in effect on March 31, 2023, for providing full military honors for interment in Arlington National Cemetery.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2023
Major Richard Star Act This bill provides that combat-disabled uniformed services retirees with fewer than 20 years of creditable service may concurrently receive, without reduction, veterans' disability compensation and retired pay or combat-related special compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2023
This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to carry out Executive Order 14091 (relating to advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government).
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2023
No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your Rights Act This bill modifies the retention requirements for firearm transaction records of federal firearms licensees (FFLs) that go out of business. Current law generally requires FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This bill removes the requirement for FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the ATF. Further, the bill requires the ATF to destroy all out-of-business records it has collected from FFLs.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2023
This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from providing certain funding related to abortion services. Specifically, the bill prohibits DOD from paying or reimbursing any fees or expenses for a health care professional (who provides health care at a military medical treatment facility) to gain a license in a state if the purpose of gaining the license is to provide abortion services. The bill also repeals the DOD memorandum titled Ensuring Access to Reproductive Health Care (October 20, 2022). Such memo sets forth DOD policies and procedures in response to the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization . Under the bill, DOD may not obligate or expend funds to carry out the memo or any successor memo.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2023
Parents Bill of Rights Act This bill establishes various rights of parents and guardians regarding the elementary or secondary school education of their children. Local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools must comply with the requirements of the bill in order to receive federal education funds. Specifically, the bill requires schools to notify parents and guardians of their rights regarding the education of their children. These rights include the right to review the curriculum of their child's school; know if the state alters its challenging academic standards; meet with each teacher of their child at least twice each school year; review the budget, including all revenues and expenditures, of their child's school; review a list of the books and other reading materials in the library of their child's school; address the school board of the LEA; receive information about violent activity in their child's school; and receive information about any plans to eliminate gifted and talented programs in the child's school. Additionally, the bill directs each LEA to post on a publicly accessible website (or otherwise widely disseminate to the public) the curriculum for each elementary and secondary school grade level. The LEA must also include in its annual report card the overall budget of the LEA and the budget for each elementary and secondary school. The bill also provides for additional family educational and privacy rights, including by prohibiting schools from selling student information for commercial or financial gain.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
Grizzly Bear State Management Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of the Interior to remove the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem population of grizzly bears from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act This bill restores an exemption for certain family farms and small businesses under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The bill applies to the net worth of (1) a family farm on which the family resides, or (2) a small business with not more than 100 full-time or full-time equivalent employees that is owned and controlled by the family. Prior to recent changes made to FAFSA, the net worth of these family farms and small businesses were excluded as assets when calculating a student's financial need to determine federal student aid eligibility. Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, the net worth of these farms and businesses will be treated as an asset and therefore included in the calculation. This bill restores the exemption to exclude such net worth from the calculation.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
Stop CRT Act This bill grants Executive Order 13950 the force and effect of law. That order prohibits federal agencies and contractors from advancing specified policies or training related to race or sex and was revoked by Executive Order 13985 on January 20, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
Combating Racist Training in the Military Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Armed Forces and academic institutions of the Department of Defense from promoting specified anti-American and racist theories (e.g., that any race is inherently superior or inferior to any other race). Specifically, the bill prohibits including anti-American and racist theories or materials in curricula, reading lists, seminars, workshops, trainings, or other educational or professional settings in a manner that could appear as sponsorship, approval, or endorsement; contracting with, hiring, or otherwise engaging speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, and other persons for the purpose of advocating anti-American and racist theories; compelling members of the Armed Forces to affirm or profess belief in anti-American and racist theories; and segregating members of the Armed Forces by race in any setting, including educational and training sessions.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2023
Fair and Open Competition Act or the FOCA Act This bill prohibits federal construction contracts or controlling documents for federally supported construction projects from requiring or prohibiting project labor agreements. Such documents also may not discriminate against or give preference to a bidder or contractor who signs or refuses to sign a project labor agreement. An agency may exempt a project from this prohibition to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2023
National Right-to-Work Act This bill repeals those provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act that permit employers to make an agreement with a labor union to require employees to join such union as a condition of employment. Currently, at least 27 states have enacted laws prohibiting employers from compelling employees to become members of a union as a condition of employment.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored. The bill modifies these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. In addition, schools currently participating in the program must provide meals that meet certain nutrition requirements; USDA regulations require that the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories. Under the bill, USDA must revise these requirements to increase the allowable average saturated fat content of a meal to account for milk fat included in whole milk.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes fines on individuals for soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
Debbie Smith Act of 2023 This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grant Program. The program provides grants to state and local governments to improve and expand the collection and analysis of DNA evidence, including evidence in sexual assault kits.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
American Energy Act This bill sets forth requirements to extend terms for energy drilling permits and to limit the effect of civil actions concerning such permits. Specifically, the bill extends the terms for permits to drill issued under Section 17 of the Mineral Leasing Act from two years to four years. The bill also requires the Department of the Interior to process an application for an oil or gas drilling permit or other authorizations under a valid existing lease regardless of any pending civil actions affecting the application or related lease. It also addresses litigation concerning the environmental review of certain oil and gas lease sales held under the Mineral Leasing Act or the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. A court may not vacate a lease sale nor otherwise limit, delay, or enjoin related lease activities unless the court concludes that (1) the lease will pose a risk of an imminent and substantial environmental harm, and (2) there is no other equitable remedy available. In addition, no court may enjoin or issue any order preventing the award of leases to a bidder in a lease sale if Interior has previously opened bids for such leases or disclosed the high bidder for any tract that was included in such lease sale.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Protect Farmers from the SEC Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural products.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Audit and Return It Act This bill establishes requirements for auditing and rescinding unobligated funds that were provided to address COVID-19. Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to (1) conduct an audit of specified funds that were provided to address COVID-19, and (2) issue a report listing the unobligated funds that remain available. The bill also requires the unobligated funds to be (1) rescinded on the date the OMB report is issued, and (2) deposited into the Treasury for the sole purpose of deficit reduction. The bill applies to unobligated funds that were provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020; the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act); the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act; Divisions M and N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021; and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Guidance Out Of Darkness Act or the GOOD Act This bill establishes requirements concerning the posting of agency guidance documents. Specifically, an agency must publish guidance documents online on the dates they are issued, publish all of its guidance documents that are in effect in a single location on a designated website, display a hyperlink on its website that provides access to the guidance documents on such website, and indicate on such website if a guidance document has been rescinded. The documents must be categorized as guidance documents and further divided into subcategories.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023 This bill expands federal enforcement of criminal offenses related to organized retail crime. Organized retail crime typically refers to large-scale retail theft and fraud by organized groups of professional shoplifters, or boosters, who make money by stealing merchandise and reselling it for a fraction of the retail cost. First, with respect to criminal offenses involving the transportation of stolen property across state lines and the sale or receipt of stolen goods, the bill broadens the scope of conduct that qualifies as offenses. Additionally, the bill makes the offenses predicate offenses (i.e., underlying offenses) for prosecutions under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any property representing or traceable to the gross proceeds obtained as a result of an offense or a conspiracy to commit an offense. Second, with respect to criminal offenses involving theft from an interstate or foreign shipment, the bill makes an offense an underlying offense for prosecution under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any property representing or traceable to the gross proceeds obtained as a result of an offense or a conspiracy to commit an offense. Finally, the bill establishes a center—the Organized Retail Crime Coordination Center—within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate the federal law enforcement activities related to organized retail crime.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Reprioritizing Unserved Rural Areas and Locations for Broadband Act of 2023 or the RURAL Broadband Act of 2023 This bill restricts the use of Rural Utilities Service grants or loans to deploy broadband infrastructure that would overbuild or otherwise duplicate existing broadband networks.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Protecting Our Wealth of Energy Resources Act of 2023 or the POWER Act of 2023 This bill requires the President and federal agencies to obtain the approval of Congress before prohibiting or substantially delaying certain new energy or mineral leases or permits on federal lands. Specifically, approval must be obtained for new (1) oil and gas leases, drill permits, approvals, or authorizations; (2) coal leases, permits, approvals, or authorizations; and (3) mineral patents, leases, permits, approvals, or authorizations. In addition, the President and agencies must obtain the approval of Congress before withdrawing certain federal lands from mineral and geothermal leasing activities.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) for purposes of federal law, a person's sex means the person's biological sex at birth; and (2) distinctions between the sexes are justified in certain settings, laws, and policies.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the interim final rule issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) titled Reproductive Health Services and published on September 9, 2022. The rule authorizes the VA to provide certain abortion-related care to veterans. The rule also applies to such care provided to beneficiaries covered under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA).
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2023
This concurrent resolution declares that Congress should not impose any new performance fee, tax, royalty, or other charge relating to the public performance of sound recordings on a local radio station for broadcasting sound recordings over the air, or on any business for such public performance of sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
No Social Security for Illegal Aliens Act of 2023 This bill prohibits an individual from collecting Social Security benefits based on wages and income earned for services illegally performed in the United States while the individual was an alien.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Trust the Science Act This bill directs the Department of the Interior to remove protections for the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Specifically, the bill requires Interior to reissue the final rule titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and published on November 3, 2020. The rule removed the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States, except for the Mexican wolf ( C. l. baileyi ) subspecies, from the endangered and threatened species list. However, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California vacated the rule on February 10, 2022. As a result, the gray wolf reattained the protection status it had prior to the rule's promulgation. The bill also prohibits the reissuance of the rule from being subject to judicial review.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Revised Definition of "Waters of the United States," which was submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency on January 18, 2023. The rule specifies which bodies of water fall under the scope of the Clean Water Act and are thereby under federal jurisdiction. The 2023 rule replaced a 2020 rule that included a narrower definition of waters of the United States .
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Guaranteeing Independent Growth Act or the GIG Act This bill establishes a statutory test for determining if an individual who performs services for another person should be classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Specifically, an individual is likely to be considered an independent contractor if the individual providing services exercises substantial control over key aspects of the service and earns profits or incurs losses based on the individual's own initiative or resource management. The Department of Labor may also consider secondary factors when determining if an individual should be classified as an independent contractor, including (1) whether the services require specialized training or skills that are not provided by the recipient of the services, and (2) whether the services are performed on a continuous basis.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Prohibition of Agricultural Land for the People's Republic of China Act This bill requires the President to prohibit nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, and agents associated with China's government from (1) purchasing agricultural (including ranching) real estate located in the United States, or (2) participating in Department of Agriculture programs that are unrelated to food and safety regulatory requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from transmitting certain information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) utilized by licensed importers or dealers of firearms. Specifically, the bill prohibits the VA from transmitting personally identifying information of a veteran or a beneficiary to the NICS solely on the basis that such veteran or beneficiary has an appointed fiduciary to manage their benefits, unless there is an order or finding of a judicial authority that such veteran or beneficiary is a danger to themselves or others.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 This bill generally prohibits school athletic programs from allowing individuals whose biological sex at birth was male to participate in programs that are for women or girls. Specifically, the bill provides that it is a violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 for federally funded education programs or activities to operate, sponsor, or facilitate athletic programs or activities that allow individuals of the male sex to participate in programs or activities that are designated for women or girls. (Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities, including in public elementary and secondary schools and in colleges and universities.) Under the bill, sex is based on an individual's reproductive biology and genetics at birth. The bill does not prohibit male individuals from training or practicing with programs or activities for women or girls as long as such training or practice does not deprive any female of corresponding opportunities or benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Supply Chain Disruptions Relief Act This bill modifies the treatment of liquidations of new motor vehicle inventory as qualified LIFO (last in first out accounting method) inventory. It allows new motor vehicle dealers to elect to wait until the end of 2025 to replace their inventory for purposes of determining income attributable to the sale of such inventory during 2020 and 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2023 This bill bars the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water that is under the jurisdiction of such departments and made available for hunting or fishing. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the applicable department determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
This bill prohibits China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia from purchasing property within 10 miles of a sensitive site, such as a U.S. military installation. The prohibition also applies to leases or receiving concessions to property within 10 miles of a sensitive site. For the purposes of this bill, a sensitive site is public or private real estate in the United States that (1) functions as an air or maritime port, (2) is a U.S. military installation, (3) is a U.S. government facility that is sensitive for national security reasons, or (4) could expose U.S. national security activities or intelligence at a military installation or government facility to one of the prohibited countries. The prohibition shall apply to purchases, leases, and concessions made on or after this bill's enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Educational Choice for Children Act This bill allows individuals and corporations a new tax credit after 2023 for charitable contributions to tax-exempt organizations that provide scholarships to elementary and secondary school students. Such students must be members of a household with incomes not greater 300% of the area median gross income and be eligible to enroll in a public elementary or secondary school. The bill excludes from the gross income of taxpayer dependents any scholarship amount for the elementary or secondary education expenses of eligible students. It also prohibits governmental control over scholarship granting organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Freedom for Health Care Workers Act This bill nullifies the rule titled Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination , which was issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on November 5, 2021, and prohibits the issuance of any substantially similar rule. The rule requires health care providers, as a condition of Medicare and Medicaid participation, to ensure that staff are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Defund EcoHealth Alliance Act This bill prohibits the award of federal funds to EcoHealth Alliance, Inc (including any subsidiaries or related organizations). This is a nonprofit research organization that studies coronaviruses in bat populations and other environmental health concerns. The Government Accountability Office must also audit federal funds provided to that organization over the past decade. The audit must include the amount of those funds provided by EcoHealth Alliance to China, the Chinese Communist Party, or the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Protecting Families from Fertility Fraud Act of 2023 This bill establishes a new federal criminal offense for knowingly misrepresenting the nature or source of DNA used in assisted reproductive technology or assisted insemination. The term assisted reproductive technology includes any treatment or procedure that involves the handling of human oocytes or embryos, such as in vitro fertilization, gamete intrafallopian transfer, and zygote intrafallopian transfer. The term assisted insemination includes any procedure that involves the handling of sperm including intrauterine insemination. A violation is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. Additionally, the bill makes the violation a predicate offense (i.e., an underlying offense) for prosecutions under the federal racketeering statute.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Separation of Powers Restoration Act This bill restricts the ability of the President to exercise certain powers, such as declaring a national emergency. Specifically, the bill terminates all powers and authorities possessed by the President, any executive agency, or any federal officer that derive from a declaration of national emergency. It eliminates any statutory grant of authority allowing the President or any other officer or employee of the executive branch to declare a national emergency, specifying that such power is vested solely in Congress. Furthermore, for each presidential order (i.e., executive order, presidential proclamation, presidential directive, or similar presidential or executive branch instructions), the President must include a statement specifying the statutory or constitutional provision that grants the President the authority to issue the order. It also limits the effect of a presidential order to the executive branch, with certain exceptions, such as if the order cites the specific congressional enactment from which it derives its authority. The bill provides standing to challenge the validity of presidential orders to (1) certain federal, state, and local officials; and (2) persons adversely affected by the order. This bill also repeals the War Powers Resolution, a joint resolution that outlines procedures for Congress and the President to participate in decisions to send Armed Forces into hostilities.