United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2024
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency titled Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources: Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review and published on March 8, 2024. The rule establishes requirements to reduce air pollution emissions, including greenhouse gases, from the Crude Oil and Natural Gas source category under the Clean Air Act.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2024
Sultana Steamboat Disaster Commemorative Coin Act of 2024 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 100,000 $5 gold coins, 500,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the Sultana steamboat explosion that occurred on April 27, 1865, on the Mississippi River. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid to the Sultana Historical Preservation Society Inc. for the purpose of establishing, operating, and maintaining a museum.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2024
This resolution (1) celebrates the 100th anniversary of Duke University, (2) recognizes the university’s accomplishments over the past century, and (3) encourages North Carolina’s citizens to participate in activities marking this historic occasion.
United States · United States Congress · 29 February 2024
Protect America’s Lands Act This bill prohibits national securities exchanges from allowing the trade of securities issued by natural asset companies. Natural asset companies are companies that oversee land for conservation, restoration, or for the sustainable management of the natural resources and ecosystem services on that land.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2024
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act This bill prohibits payment card networks from using merchant codes that distinguish firearms retailers from other retailers. The Department of Justice must enforce this bill and report annually on the resulting investigations and cases.
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2024
Creating Hope Reauthorization Act of 2024 This bill extends until FY2029 a Food and Drug Administration program that awards priority review vouchers to manufacturers of drugs that treat rare pediatric diseases. (A priority review voucher entitles the voucher holder to priority review of a single human drug application.)
United States · United States Congress · 15 February 2024
Retaining Access and Restoring Exclusivity Act or the RARE Act This bill specifies that the seven-year market exclusivity period for drugs for rare diseases or conditions (i.e., orphan drug exclusivity period) prohibits the approval of the same drug for the same approved use or indication with respect to the disease or condition. Current law grants a seven-year period of market exclusivity for an approved orphan drug, during which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may not approve an application from another manufacturer for the same drug for the same disease or condition. The FDA's regulations provide that this exclusivity is specific to the same approved use or indication of the drug, rather than all uses or indications, for the disease or condition. However, in Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. v. Becerra, a court held that exclusivity did extend to all uses or indications for the disease or condition. The bill provides statutory authority for the FDA's regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2024
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) titled National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Performance of the National Highway System, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measure and published on December 7, 2023. Under current law, each state must set targets for and report on the progress of performance metrics related to the U.S. surface transportation system. The rule establishes a specific measure for assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with transportation (GHG measure). The rule also requires state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to establish declining carbon dioxide (CO2) targets for the GHG measure and report to the FHWA on their progress towards achieving these targets.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2024
BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act of 2024 This bill reauthorizes through FY2029 several programs that are administered by the Department of Health and Human Services to support research and resources related to Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes (1) cooperative agreements with state, local, and tribal health departments to address Alzheimer's disease and related dementias through education, early detection, caregiver support, and other avenues; (2) regional centers that raise awareness and support research regarding these conditions; and (3) data collection on the incidence and prevalence of these conditions.
United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2024
Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 This bill provides FY2024 supplemental appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of State for activities to respond to the attacks in Israel. The bill designates the funding as emergency spending, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits. Specifically, the bill provides appropriations to DOD for Military Personnel; Operation and Maintenance; Procurement; Research, Development, Test and Evaluation; Defense Working Capital Funds; and the Defense Health Program. The funding is provided for purposes such as supporting current U.S. military operations in the region; replacing defense articles that were provided to Israel; reimbursing DOD for defense services and training provided to Israel; and procuring Israel's Iron Dome, David's Sling, and Iron Beam defense systems to counter short-range rocket threats. The bill also provides appropriations to the State Department for Diplomatic Programs, Emergencies in the Diplomatic and Consular Service, and the Foreign Military Financing Program. The funding is provided to the State Department for purposes such as (1) increasing security at U.S. embassies impacted by the attacks on Israel, and (2) conducting emergency evacuations of U.S. government personnel and citizens in the region. Finally, the bill includes provisions that expand the authorities of the President to transfer defense articles and services from DOD to Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2024
Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024 This bill repeals certain restrictions on the import and export of natural gas under the Natural Gas Act, including requirements for Department of Energy (DOE) approval and related provisions that address free trade agreements. In addition, the bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the exclusive authority to approve or deny applications to authorize the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of facilities (e.g., liquefied natural gas terminals) to export natural gas to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries. (Currently, DOE authorizes the export or import of natural gas, and FERC authorizes related facilities.) In determining whether to approve or deny an application, FERC must deem the exportation or importation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2024
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Federal Communications Commission titled The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: Prevention and Elimination of Digital Discrimination and published on January 22, 2024. The rule prohibits broadband providers from adopting policies or practices that differentially impact consumers' access to broadband service based on their income, race, ethnicity, religion, or national origin, provided such policies or practices are not justified by issues of technical or economic feasibility.
United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2024
Death Tax Repeal Act This bill repeals the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes. It also sets forth conforming amendments related to the gift tax.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2024
Protect Medicaid Act This bill prohibits federal payment under Medicaid for the administrative costs of providing health benefits to noncitizens who are ineligible for Medicaid based on their immigration status. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on specified information regarding states that provide health benefits to such individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2024
This resolution commends Taiwan for its example of self-governance and regards Taiwan's democracy as a great strategic strength for the free world. The resolution also expresses concern about Chinese interference in Taiwan's 2024 elections and expresses commitment to continuing a strong partnership with Taiwan, regardless of the outcome of the elections.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 501 Mercer Street Southwest in Wilson, North Carolina, as the "Milton F. Fitch, Sr. Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2023
Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in recognition of the life of Roberto Clemente, baseball player and human rights activist. All sales of coins issued under this bill must include a surcharge to be paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2023
Preserving Seniors' Access to Physicians Act of 2023 This bill increases payments under the Medicare physician fee schedule for 2024. Specifically, the bill increases payments for 2024 by 4.62% (current law provides for a 1.25% increase).
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2023
This resolution urges Ukraine to resume allowing certain U.S. citizens to adopt and to receive pre-adoptive placements of Ukrainian children. Specifically, the resolution: recommends Ukraine consider, as particularly urgent, cases where prospective U.S. parents have completed Ukraine's adoption process and received approval prior to the suspension of adoptions by non-Ukrainians on March 13, 2022; recommends that, in cases where Ukrainian children had already been placed in hosting programs, prospective U.S. parents be allowed to initiate the adoption process; and recommends that prospective U.S. parents be allowed to apply to receive, in a pre-adoptive placement, Ukrainian children that previously participated in hosting programs and that have an uncertain legal status regarding adoption.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2023
Passport System Reform and Backlog Prevention Act This bill addresses issues related to the passport issuance process, including by providing the Department of State with emergency hiring authorities. Under this bill, the State Department may hire additional personal services contractors to meet the exigent needs of the Bureau of Consular Affairs from FY2024 through FY2026. The State Department may have up to 100 such positions at any given time, and such positions may not be for longer than two years. Furthermore, the bureau must award or expand contracts to implement certain information technology (IT) programs. Specifically, these contracts shall be to (1) provide a digital dashboard to congressional offices to track individual passport applications; (2) establish a program to provide automated messages and notifications to passport applicants, such as notifications of application errors; (3) establish a mobile application to allow passport applicants to communicate with the State Department and submit documents; (4) expand the online passport renewal system to also accommodate routine first-time adult passport applications; and (5) provide rules-based tools to screen online passport renewal applications with no changed biographical information against commercial databases. The bureau must also solicit the private sector for proposals about commercially available technologies that may improve the passport issuance process. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) must report to Congress a comprehensive review of the passport issuance process, including opportunities to enhance the process. The bureau must periodically report to Congress on its progress in implementing the GAO's recommendations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2023
Chinese Spy Balloon Assessment Act This bill requires the Department of Defense to consult with the President and report on the effects on national security of surveillance conducted by China via the high-altitude surveillance balloon shot down in the United States in February 2023. The report must be submitted in an unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2023
Protecting Military Servicemembers' Data Act of 202 3 This bill prohibits businesses that collect consumer personal information from selling lists containing the personal information of members of the Armed Forces to North Korea, China, Russia, or Iran. The bill provides enforcement authority to the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2023
This bill (1) extends through 2024 certain minimum adjustments to the work geographic index with respect to payments for physician services under Medicare, and (2) delays until 2025 certain laboratory reporting requirements that are used to determine payment rates for clinical diagnostic laboratory tests under Medicare, as well as related payment reductions.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2023
DHS Special Events Program and Support Act This bill provides statutory authority for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct security assessments and provide security and situational awareness support for pre-planned special events that are not designated as National Special Security Events. (National Special Security Events are major federal government or public events so designated by the President or DHS, such as presidential inaugurations, major international summits, and major sporting events.) Under the bill, DHS must establish a standard process for federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial officials to voluntarily submit requests to DHS for event assessment and possible security and situational awareness support. DHS must assess such requests using a risk-based methodology and include a process for expedited consideration and, where appropriate, for reassessment. DHS must also carry out research and development of technologies and techniques for enhancing DHS's security and situational awareness support to such officials relating to mass gatherings in a manner consistent with constitutional, privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties protections.