United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Western Wildfire Support Act of 2023 This bill establishes activities to address wildfires. The bill requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior to establish spatial fire management plans before the end of FY2026. The bill establishes accounts in the Treasury for addressing wildfires, a program to train and certify citizens who wish to be able to volunteer to assist USDA or Interior during a wildland fire incident, a program to award grants to eligible states or units of local government to acquire slip-on tank and pump units for a surge capacity of resources for fire suppression, the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize for the management of wildfire-related invasive species, and the Management of Wildfire-Related Invasive Species Technology Advisory Board. The bill also requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to reimburse a state or federal agency for the costs of wildfire suppression as a result of a fire caused by DOD activity, requires the Joint Fire Science Program to work with unmanned aircraft test ranges to carry out research and development of unmanned aircraft system fire applications, requires federal and state disaster preparedness programs to include postdisaster assistance, and authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide funding to a state agency to establish and operate a website to provide information relating to postfire recovery funding and resources to a community or an individual impacted by a wildland fire.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Be Ready to Assist Veterans in Extremis Act or the BRAVE Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish a patient outreach system under which it must ensure that veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have experienced a traumatic or highly stressful event may elect to receive information and resources relating to mental health and available mental health care services. The VA must coordinate the system with the Transition Assistance Program of the Department of Defense.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Wildfire Recovery Act This bill makes changes with respect to the federal cost share for Fire Management Assistance Grants and provides that the federal share shall be not less than 75% of the eligible cost. Specifically, the bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct and complete a rulemaking to provide criteria for the circumstances under which FEMA may recommend that the President increase the federal cost share. Such criteria shall include a threshold metric that assesses the financial impact to a state or local government from responding to a fire for which fire management assistance is being provided.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Wildfire Smoke Relief Act This bill provides for assistance for the purchase of smoke inhalation prevention equipment to specified individuals at risk of wildfire smoke-related illness. The President, in carrying out the Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), shall provide (1) assistance to a state or local government, local public health authority, or a coordinated care organization to purchase and provide such equipment to at-risk individuals; and (2) cost-efficient transitional shelter assistance to at-risk individuals in any case in which such equipment is insufficient to mitigate the risk of illness.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Fighting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Act of 2023 This bill requires the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to report on one or more proposed programs to make treatment or preventative care available to public safety officers and public safety telecommunicators for job-related post-traumatic stress disorder or acute stress disorder. The report must also include draft legislative language related to each proposed program, as well as the estimated cost for administering each proposed program.
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 · 17 January 2023
NIST Wildland Fire Communications and Information Dissemination Act This bill requires research on public safety communication coordination standards related to wildland firefighting. The Public Safety and Communications Research Division of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) must carry out research on such standards among wildland firefighters, fire management response officials, and specified federal agencies responsible for coordinating and mobilizing for wildland fire and other incidents. The research must also focus on improving and integrating existing communications systems to allow for secure, real-time transmission of data, alerts, and advisories to fire management officials and wildland firefighters. In carrying out the research, the division must (1) conduct live and virtual field tests of equipment, software, and other technologies; and (2) consult with NIST's Fire Research Division and communication technology manufacturers. Informed by the research, NIST must publish recommendations for specified federal agencies to improve public safety communication coordination standards among wildland first responders and fire management officials. In addition, NIST must advise the Office of Management and Budget and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy concerning the agencies' implementation of the recommendations. Within one year of the publication of NIST's recommendations, the Government Accountability Office must report on the extent to which the agencies have implemented the recommendations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 January 2023
Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act of 2023 This bill subjects bump stocks to regulation under federal firearms laws. Specifically, the bill adds bump stocks to the list of firearms subject to regulation (e.g., registration and licensing requirements) under the National Firearms Act. Additionally, it includes bump stocks in the list of firearms subject to regulation (e.g., background check requirements) under the Gun Control Act of 1968.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2023
Transparent Representation Upholding Service and Trust in Congress Act or the TRUST in Congress Act This bill requires a Member of Congress, as well as any spouse or dependent child of a Member, to place specified investments into a qualified blind trust (i.e., an arrangement in which certain financial holdings are placed in someone else's control to avoid a possible conflict of interest) until 180 days after the end of their tenure as a Member of Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2023
Retired Pay Restoration Act This bill allows the receipt of both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability. Under current law, only individuals with service-connected disabilities rated at 50% or more receive both without offset. Individuals who were retired or separated after at least 20 years of military service due to a service-connected disability shall be eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both veterans' disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special pay.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2023
This resolution condemns all acts of political violence, as well as attacks on health care facilities, health care personnel, and patients. The resolution also states that all people have the freedom to access reproductive health care services and medical advice without fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment. Finally, the resolution calls on the Biden Administration to use all appropriate authorities to uphold public safety, protect health care facilities, and safeguard health care personnel and patients.
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2023
Gerald's Law Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide a burial and funeral allowance for a veteran who dies in a home or other setting at which the veteran was receiving VA hospice care (if such care was directly preceded by VA hospital or nursing home care).
United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2023
Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Farm Animals Act This bill requires producers to develop disaster preparedness plans that include adverse weather plans to be eligible for livestock indemnity payments and emergency loans due to adverse weather under certain agricultural disaster assistance programs.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. The bill eliminates the government pension offset , which in various instances reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision , which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. These changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2023.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Close the Medigap Act of 2023 This bill (1) expands guaranteed issue rights with respect to Medigap policies (Medicare supplemental health insurance policies), (2) eliminates certain limitations on Medigap policies for newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and (3) modifies other provisions related to Medigap policies. (Guaranteed issue rights require that a policy be offered to any eligible applicant without regard to health status.)
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Assuring Medicare’s Promise Act of 2023 This bill increases net investment income tax revenues by applying such tax to the trade or business income of certain high income taxpayers and includes the increased tax revenues in the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2023 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. Coverage includes (1) routine dental cleanings and exams, basic and major dental services, emergency dental care, and dentures; (2) routine eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses; and (3) routine hearing exams, hearing aids, and exams for hearing aids. With respect to such care, the bill establishes special payment rules, limitations, and coinsurance requirements.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Expediting Temporary Ratings for Veterans Act This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to modify its information technology systems to provide for the automatic processing of claims for temporary disability ratings for specified veterans (i.e., those who have a service-connected disability that requires hospital treatment or observation for a period in excess of 21 days). In providing for the automatic processing of claims, the VA must ensure that (1) medical evidence is obtained from its corporate data warehouse, (2) VA employees continue to determine eligibility for a temporary disability rating for the specified veterans, and (3) claims may be processed manually if the evidence of record is not sufficient to decide the claim or if the medical evidence is provided in an incompatible format.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
VA Same-Day Scheduling Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that when a veteran enrolled in the VA health care system contacts the VA by telephone to schedule an appointment for care or services at a VA facility, the scheduling for the appointment occurs during that telephone call.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Stamp Out Invasive Species Act This bill directs the U.S. Postal Service to issue and sell a Combating Invasive Species Semipostal Stamp. Proceeds from the sale of the stamp must be transferred in equal proportion to the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture for combating invasive species. (Invasive species are nonnative species whose introduction poses a serious threat to natural ecosystems and causes detrimental economic damage to local communities.) The stamp must be made available to the public for two years.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
This bill allows a deduction from gross income (above the line deduction) for attorney fees and court costs awarded with respect to a qualifying wildfire disaster (i.e., any forest or range fire that is a federally declared disaster, occurs in a disaster area, and occurs in 2015 or later). The bill excludes from the gross income of a taxpayer, for income tax purposes, amounts paid to compensate victims for losses or damages in connection with a qualifying wildfire disaster.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Kimberly Vaughan Firearm Safe Storage Act This bill directs the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish voluntary best practices for safe firearm storage solely for the purpose of public education. DOJ must give at least 90 days public notice and afford an opportunity for a hearing before establishing such best practices. The bill authorizes DOJ to award grants for the development, implementation, and evaluation of Safe Firearm Storage Assistance Programs. The bill also provides for a new tax credit through 2030 for 10% of amounts received from the retail sale of a safe firearm storage device for use in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for the admission of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth into the United States. The commonwealth consists of all the territory of the District of Columbia (DC), excluding certain federal property. The excluded property shall be known as the Capital and serve as the seat of federal government; it includes the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court Building, and the federal office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and Capitol Building. In addition, the bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property and prohibits the commonwealth from taxing federal property except as permitted by Congress. Within 30 days of this bill's enactment, the DC mayor must call for the election of two Senators and one Representative for the commonwealth. The commonwealth shall be admitted into the United States upon a presidential proclamation announcing the results of that election. The bill applies current DC laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings. It also continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, and courts, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over those authorities and responsibilities. Further, the bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution to repeal the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution (which allows DC citizens to vote in presidential elections). The bill also establishes a commission to advise the President, Congress, and DC and commonwealth leaders on the transition.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to (1) regulate and impose reasonable viewpoint-neutral limitations on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections; and (2) regulate and enact public campaign financing systems, including those designed to restrict the influence of private wealth by offsetting the raising and spending of money by candidates and others with increased public funding. The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act This bill establishes the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans. The commission must (1) compile documentary evidence of slavery in the United States; (2) study the role of the federal and state governments in supporting the institution of slavery; (3) analyze discriminatory laws and policies against freed African slaves and their descendants; and (4) recommend ways the United States may recognize and remedy the effects of slavery and discrimination on African Americans, including through a formal apology and compensation (i.e., reparations). The commission consists of individuals from civil society and reparations organizations and individuals appointed by the President and congressional leadership; Members of Congress and governmental employees may not serve on the commission. The commission may hold hearings, subpoena witnesses and records, and contract with other entities to conduct its work. The commission must submit its final report within 18 months of its first meeting.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Pet Safety and Protection Act of 2023 This bill revises requirements concerning the sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities. Specifically, the bill revises the list of permissible sources of dogs and cats used by research facilities to include dogs and cats obtained (1) from a licensed dealer, (2) from a publicly owned and operated pound or shelter that meets specified requirements, (3) by donation from a person who bred and raised the dog or cat or owned it for not less than one year, or (4) from a research facility licensed by the Department of Agriculture. The requirements pertaining to sources apply to dogs and cats obtained through sales, donations, or offers. Monetary penalties are established for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 20 December 2022
Project Safe Neighborhoods Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program within the Department of Justice. The bill also allows funds under the program to be used for hiring crime analysts to assist with violent crime reduction efforts; the cost of overtime for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and law enforcement assistants who assist with the program; purchasing, implementing, and using technology to assist with violent crime reduction efforts; and supporting multijurisdictional task forces.
United States · United States Congress · 2 December 2022
Surveying the Heat Island Effect across Large Divisions Act or the SHIELD Act This bill provides for the Department of Defense (DOD) to direct the commander of each large military installation to analyze and report on (1) how the heat island effect (i.e., the heating effect in an area with a high concentration of structures that absorb and re-emit the sun's heat) exacerbates summer heat conditions and necessitates the increased use of air conditioning on the installation, and (2) the percentage of tree cover and plant shade trees on the property of the installation. DOD must review the reports, identify any installation that is a significant heat island, and direct the commander of any identified installation to increase the tree coverage by 10% to 30% by September 30, 2025.
United States · United States Congress · 22 November 2022
Veterans Homecare Choice Act of 2022 This bill includes any nurse registry as an eligible health care provider under the Veterans Community Care Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Under the bill, a nurse registry is a person who satisfies applicable state licensure requirements and procures, or attempts to procure, contracts or agreements on behalf of registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, home health aides, companions, or homemakers under which such individuals may furnish health care-related or assistive services and receive compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2022
SNAP Theft Protection Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish criteria for state agencies to identify Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits stolen by identity theft or typical skimming practices and provide for the reissuance of stolen SNAP benefits to households that meet such criteria. USDA must periodically review and modify its regulations to take into account evolving technology and the threat landscape to better protect against theft.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2022
This bill expands protections of animals provided under the Animal Welfare Act, including by prohibiting any (1) broadcasts from international, interstate, or intrastate sources of animal fighting ventures in the United States or U.S. territories; and (2) shipments or transport of certain mature roosters.
United States · United States Congress · 3 November 2022
This bill authorizes the location of a monument on the National Mall to commemorate the women's suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.
United States · United States Congress · 28 October 2022
Original National Domestic Violence Awareness Month Resolution of 2022 This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Further, it expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that Congress should continue to raise awareness of and support programs to end domestic violence.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2022
Department of Health and Human Services Cybersecurity Coordination Act This bill tasks the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response of the Department of Health and Human Services with coordinating and managing certain activities related to cybersecurity.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2022
Critical Electric Infrastructure Cybersecurity Incident Reporting Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to issue regulations about reporting cybersecurity incidents with respect to critical electric infrastructure. The regulations must require federal agencies as well as the owners, operators, and users of critical electric infrastructure to report cybersecurity incidents or potential cybersecurity incidents to DOE within 24 hours of their discovery.
United States · United States Congress · 21 October 2022
Keep Americans Safe Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture. Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 October 2022
Preparedness and Risk Management for Extreme Weather Patterns Assuring Resilience and Effectiveness Act of 2022 or the PREPARE Act of 2022 This bill directs the President to establish the Interagency Council on Extreme Weather Resilience, Preparedness, and Risk Identification and Management, which shall establish government-wide goals and provide recommendations for addressing extreme weather resilience, preparedness, and risk identification and management. Each federal agency shall submit biannually to the Office of Management and Budget and to the council a comprehensive plan that integrates consideration of extreme weather into its operations and overall mission objectives.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2022
Colorado River Basin Conservation Act This bill reauthorizes the Department of the Interior to fund or participate in pilot projects to increase Colorado River System water in Lake Mead and the Colorado River Storage Project reservoirs through FY2026. Interior administers these pilot projects to address the effects of drought conditions on the Colorado River Basin, which includes the Upper Basin states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) and Lower Basin states (Arizona, California, and Nevada). The bill also requires Interior to submit an updated report to Congress by the end of FY2027 on the effectiveness of the pilot projects and a recommendation on whether to continue the program.
United States · United States Congress · 7 October 2022
Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Protection Act of 2022 This bill modifies requirements under the Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, including by directing the Department of the Interior to (1) establish regulations that require humane treatment of the animals during handling, management activities, removals, euthanasia, holding, and other activities; and (2) take actions to correct, prevent the recurrence of, and record violations of such regulations. The bill also prohibits Interior from destroying such animals unless they are fatally injured or terminally ill.
United States · United States Congress · 30 September 2022
Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2022 This bill allows student loans to be discharged in bankruptcy. Under current law, these loans are only dischargeable if such debt imposes an undue hardship on the debtor.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
Protecting Kids from Fentanyl Act This bill allows states and local educational agencies to use unexpended COVID-19 elementary and secondary school emergency relief funds for additional purposes. In particular, these funds may be used for (1) purchasing naloxone or other opioid antagonists; (2) providing training to school nurses, teachers, school administrators, and school resource officers on how to administer naloxone or other opioid antagonists; and (3) providing fentanyl awareness classes or materials to students.
United States · United States Congress · 20 September 2022
Access to Reproductive Care for Servicemembers Act This bill establishes leave policies for the military departments regarding abortion care for members of the Armed Forces, including policy elements related to privacy. Additionally, the bill requires the military departments to reimburse members for travel costs incurred if a member must travel to a different jurisdiction for an abortion. Under the bill, no member may be subject to any adverse action for requesting or taking leave in relation to abortion care.
United States · United States Congress · 19 September 2022
The Jackie Walorski Maternal and Child Home Visiting Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2027, increases funding for, and modifies the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program. This program supports home visits for expectant and new parents who live in communities that are at-risk for poor maternal and child health outcomes. Changes to the program include setting out requirements for allocating program funds; increasing the percentage of funds reserved for tribal entities; establishing a publicly available dashboard that reports program outcomes; requiring activities to reduce unnecessary data collection, reporting, and other administrative requirements of the program; and allowing for virtual home visits (provided certain conditions are met).
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Tracking and Reporting Absent Community-Members Everywhere Act or the TRACE Act This bill requires the National Institute of Justice to include additional data categories in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), including information about persons who go missing on federal land. It also requires the Departments of Agriculture, Interior, and Defense to report existing missing persons cases on their federal land to NamUs.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Providing Real Opportunities and Lifelong Investments For Everyone Act of 2022 or the PRO-LIFE Act of 2022 This bill establishes new, and modifies existing, programs related to maternal and child health, tax credits and other benefits for parents and caregivers, and support for childcare infrastructure. The bill requires multi-agency efforts to improve maternal health and reduce maternal mortality, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups, veterans, and other vulnerable populations, by addressing both health-related factors and the social determinants of health (i.e., nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes, such as housing, food security, transportation, and environmental conditions). Additionally, the bill permanently extends the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and related measures. Further, the bill (1) sets up a family medical leave insurance benefit that entitles employees to a monthly benefit payment for a period of qualified caregiving; and (2) imposes a tax on employers, employees, and self-employed individuals to fund the benefits. The bill also increases the amount of the child tax credit and makes the credit fully refundable and payable in advance on a monthly basis. In addition, the Department of Labor must carry out a program to certify and recognize employers that implement family-friendly workplace programs (e.g., providing paid family and sick leave or subsidizing childcare). The bill also requires support for childcare infrastructure, for example by establishing grants for childcare facilities and scholarship and loan repayment programs for childcare educators.
![Official portrait of Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/n000191_200.jpg)