United States · United States Congress · 22 June 2023
American Farmers Feed the World Act of 2023 This bill imposes limits and requirements on international food assistance provided under Title II of the Food for Peace Act and makes other changes to the assistance program. First, the bill eliminates the use of food procured outside of the United States, food vouchers, or cash transfers as food as assistance under the program. Second, the bill restricts the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from using more than 50% of its annual appropriations for program expenses other than the procurement of agricultural commodities and ocean transportation. Additionally, the bill limits the amount that USAID may provide to qualified organizations to be used for purposes such as administration, personnel, and program evaluation. Under current law, USAID must spend a minimum of 7.5% and a maximum of 20% of its annual appropriations for these purposes. The bill reduces the minimum to 5% and the maximum to 10%. The bill also cancels the Local and Regional Procurement assistance program, which funds field-based (i.e., outside the United States) agricultural projects. The bill also modifies some of the respective powers of USAID and the Department of Agriculture (USDA). For example, the bill transfers from USAID to USDA the authority to approve drawing emergency food aid from the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust. The bill also renames the assistance program as the Peter O'Brien Food for Peace Program.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2023
Horse Transportation Safety Act of 2023 This bill prohibits a person from transporting a horse in interstate commerce in a motor vehicle that contains two or more levels stacked on top of one another. Vehicles operated exclusively on a rail or rails are excluded from the prohibition. The bill prescribes civil penalties for knowing violations of such prohibition.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2023
Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2023 This bill establishes a grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development for states and other entities to provide qualifying assistance to certain first-time, first-generation home buyers in purchasing their first homes. Qualifying assistance includes assistance for mortgage down payments, mortgage closing costs, reduction of mortgage interest rates, subsidies for shared equity homes, or for certain preoccupancy modifications to a home to accommodate persons with disabilities. The bill also establishes grant requirements regarding home buyer income, types of housing, homeowner occupancy, types of mortgages, and home buyer counseling.
United States · United States Congress · 21 June 2023
Equality Act This bill prohibits discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity with respect to businesses, employment, housing, federally funded programs, and other settings. Specifically, the bill expands Title II and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit public accommodations and federally funded programs, respectively, from discriminating based on sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It also includes stores, transit services, recreational facilities, and establishments that provide health care, accounting, or legal services as public accommodations under Title II. The bill also expands Title IV (desegregation of public schools) and Title VII (employment discrimination) to specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity. (The Supreme Court held in Bostock v. Clayton County that Title VII's prohibition of employment discrimination based on sex also prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.) The bill similarly expands the Fair Housing Act (discrimination in public and private housing) to include sexual orientation and gender identity. It also prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by creditors and with respect to jury selection. The bill defines sex for purposes of the aforementioned provisions to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics.
United States · United States Congress · 20 June 2023
This resolution reaffirms the U.S. commitment to protect the safety, health, and well-being of refugees and asylum seekers. The resolution calls upon the Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to partner with the international community to solve existing conflicts, prevent new conflicts from emerging, and tackle the root causes of involuntary migration.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies for Health Act of 2023 or the CONNECT for Health Act of 2023 This bill expands coverage of telehealth services under Medicare. Among other provisions, the bill permanently removes geographic restrictions on originating sites (i.e., the location of the beneficiary) and allows the home of the beneficiary to serve as the originating site for all services; permanently allows federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics to serve as the distant site (i.e., the location of the health care practitioner); and allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to generally waive coverage restrictions during any public health emergency. Additionally, the CMS must post certain information about the effects of Medicare telehealth services on its website, including information about utilization, costs, and the outcome of services. The CMS must also (1) provide resources to health care professionals about the requirements for furnishing telehealth services under Medicare, including with respect to payment, patient privacy, and support for underserved populations; and (2) ensure certain quality measures are applied to telehealth services.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
Lifting Immigrant Families Through Benefits Access Restoration Act or the LIFT the BAR Act This bill repeals certain limits on the eligibility of noncitizens who lawfully reside in the United States for federal means-tested programs, including Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), programs funded through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) grants, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and certain nutrition and housing programs.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
Advancing Automation Research and Development in Agriculture Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish within USDA a stand-alone competitive research and extension grant program to increase the competitiveness of specialty crops in the United States through the advancement and acceleration of mechanization and automation. Specialty crops are fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture). The bill provides specified funds for FY2024 and each succeeding year to carry out the program. The grant program includes projects that create or improve cost-effective technologies to reduce a specialty crop grower's manual labor requirements and increase the efficiency of crop production, resource management, harvesting, processing, post-harvest technologies, and packaging; increase adoption of mechanization and automation technologies; and accelerate automation and mechanization through prototype development, in-field trial testing, ongoing industry engagement, and rapid commercialization. Entities eligible for the grant program are federal agencies, national laboratories, colleges and universities, research institutions and organizations, private organizations and corporations, state agricultural experiment stations, individuals, and organizations representing specialty crop growers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act of 2023 This bill removes limitations on the civil liability of gun manufacturers and the disclosure of gun trace data in civil actions. Specifically, the bill repeals the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which prohibits civil actions against a firearm or ammunition manufacturer, seller, importer, dealer, or trade association for damages resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a firearm. Additionally, the bill states that firearms trace data maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is not immune from legal process. Such data is subject to discovery; is admissible as evidence; and may be used, relied on, or disclosed in a civil action or administrative proceeding.
United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
American Dream and Promise Act of 2023 This bill provides certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) with a path to receive permanent resident status and contains other immigration-related provisions. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) shall provide conditional permanent resident status for 10 years to a qualifying individual who entered the United States as a minor and (1) is deportable or inadmissible, (2) has deferred enforced departure (DED) status or temporary protected status (TPS), or (3) is the child of certain classes of nonimmigrants. The bill imposes various qualifying requirements, such as the individual being continuously physically present in the United States since January 1, 2021, passing a background check, and being enrolled in or having completed certain educational programs. DHS shall remove the conditions placed on permanent resident status granted under this bill if the alien applies and meets certain requirements, such as completing certain programs at an educational institution, serving in the military, or being employed. Furthermore, DHS and DOJ shall provide lawful permanent resident status to certain individuals who had TPS, were eligible for TPS, or were eligible for DED status on certain dates. Such individuals must meet certain requirements and apply for such status within three years of this bill's enactment. DHS may not use information from applications filed under this bill or for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status for immigration enforcement purposes. This bill also repeals a restriction that bars a state from providing higher education benefits to undocumented individuals unless those benefits are available to all U.S. nationals without regard to residency in the state.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2023
Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act This bill waives the adjusted gross income limitations for payments or benefits under specific Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance programs for a person or legal entity that derives a portion of their income from agriculture. (Currently, a person or entity is not eligible to receive certain benefits during a crop, fiscal, or program year if their average gross income exceeds $900,000.) Specifically, in the case of an excepted payment or benefit, the adjusted gross income limitation is waived if 75% or more of the average adjusted gross income for the person or entity is derived from farming, ranching, or silviculture activities. These activities include agritourism, direct-to-consumer marketing of agricultural products, and the sale of agricultural equipment owned by such person or entity. The bill applies to the USDA Livestock Indemnity Program; Livestock Forage Disaster Program; Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program; Tree Assistance Program; and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2023
Right to Contraception Act This bill sets out statutory protections for an individual's right to access and a health care provider's right to provide contraception and related information. Contraception refers to an action taken to prevent pregnancy, including the use of contraceptives (i.e., a device or medication used to prevent pregnancy), fertility-awareness based methods, and sterilization procedures. Generally, the bill prohibits measures that single out and impede access to contraception and related information. However, a party may defend against a claim that a measure violates the bill's prohibitions by demonstrating, through clear and convincing evidence, that the measure significantly advances the safety of contraception and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The bill also specifies that the prohibition preempts inconsistent state and local laws and applies in spite of other federal laws, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. The Department of Justice, individuals, or health care providers may bring a lawsuit to enforce this bill, and states are not immune from suits for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 June 2023
This resolution expresses support for certain rights of youth in the foster care system, including the rights to receive an education, receive necessary health services, and be free from abuse and neglect.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2023
This resolution recognizes the historical significance to the nation of Juneteenth Independence Day (commemorating the end of slavery in the United States).
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2023
Fair and Open Skies Act This bill amends the policy considerations the Department of Transportation (DOT) must take into account when issuing a foreign air carrier permit. (This allows foreign air carriers to operate in U.S. air space.) DOT must consider preventing the undermining of labor standards when determining whether the foreign air transportation will be in the public interest. Further, the bill amends the requirements for the Department of State and DOT in formulating U.S. international air transportation policy. Under current law, the State Department and DOT must develop a negotiating policy emphasizing the greatest degree of competition compatible with a well-functioning international air transportation system and include specific considerations; this is amended to also include preventing the undermining of labor standards.
United States · United States Congress · 12 June 2023
Safe Skies Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to modify a specified DOT final rule relating to flight crew member duty and rest requirements. Specifically, DOT must modify the rule so that the requirements apply to all-cargo flight crew members to the same extent that they apply to flight crew members in passenger operations conducted by air carriers.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2023
LGBTQ I+ Data Inclusion Act This bill addresses federal data collection of voluntary, self-disclosed information on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics. Specifically, the bill requires federal agencies that collect information through a survey for statistical purposes that includes demographic data (where subjects self-report information or a proxy provides information about the subject or responds for all persons in a household) to review existing data sets to determine which data sets do not include information about sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics. Such agencies must assess needed changes in survey methods related to asking questions on such matters. Agencies that publish reports relying on survey demographic data must include information on sexual orientation, gender identity, and variations in sex characteristics. Agencies may waive this publication requirement on a case-by-case basis if the confidentiality of the information cannot be maintained or if adding such information to the survey would impair the agency's ability to preserve the utility, accuracy, or objectivity of the survey while also generating relevant evidence about the LGBTQI+ community. The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on the implementation of this bill's requirements by agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 June 2023
Neighborhood Homes Investment Act This bill allows a business-related tax credit for certain development costs for the acquisition, rehabilitation, or remediation of qualified real property (i.e., real property affixed on a permanent foundation and comprised of four or fewer residential units, a condominium unit, or a house or apartment owned by a cooperative housing corporation). The bill also provides for the exclusion from gross income, for income tax purposes, of the value of any subsidy provided to a taxpayer by any state energy office for purposes of improvements made to a qualified residence.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
Expanded Telehealth Access Act This bill expands the types of health care practitioners who may provide telehealth services under Medicare. Specifically, the bill permanently allows audiologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, and other providers designated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide telehealth services under Medicare. It also specifically allows occupational therapy assistants and physical therapist assistants to provide such services.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act This bill includes combatting the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) as a Department of Agriculture (USDA) high-priority research and extension area. The bill specifically allows grants for developing and disseminating research-based tools and treatments to combat the spotted lanternfly, which is an invasive species native to China that feeds on a wide range of crops and plants (e.g., grapes, apples, hops, walnuts, and hardwood trees). Further, the bill reauthorizes USDA grants to support competitive specialized research and extension activities, including high-priority areas, through FY2028. The bill also specifically reauthorizes through FY2028 the Pulse Crop Health Initiative; the Comprehensive Food Safety Training Network; pollinator protection research and extension grants; increased USDA capacity and infrastructure to address and conduct research on colony collapse disorder and other pollinator issues; and a USDA-conducted nationwide honey bee pest, pathogen, health, and population status surveillance program.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
Roadless Area Conservation Act of 2023 This bill bars the Department of Agriculture from allowing the construction of roads, the reconstruction of roads, or logging in an inventoried roadless area where those activities are prohibited by the Roadless Rule (i.e., certain federal regulations relating to roadless area management).
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
Pride in Mental Health Act of 2023 This bill establishes grants and reporting requirements concerning the mental and behavioral health of youth who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer or questioning, nonbinary, intersex, or Two Spirit (gender-variant members of indigenous communities). Specifically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) must award grants to assess and improve mental health and substance abuse outcomes for those youth. Recipients may use grants for providing mental and behavioral health resources for such youth (including training for caregivers and school-based interventions) and collecting data. Recipients may not use grants for any practice or treatment that seeks to change another individual's sexual orientation or gender (i.e., conversion therapy). Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must (1) conduct a survey to measure issues related to mental health and health care among such youth; and (2) report about the mental health and related care of such youth who are in foster care and otherwise participate in federal social services programs. HHS must also review existing publications on SAMHSA's website that focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, nonbinary, intersex, and Two Spirit individuals and update or commission new publications to fill information gaps related to the mental and behavioral health of those individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 6 June 2023
National Digital Reserve Corps Act This bill establishes a National Digital Reserve Corps in the General Services Administration (GSA) to address the digital and cybersecurity needs of executive agencies. The GSA must establish standards for reservist eligibility and must ensure reservists have the necessary resources and security credentials for service. Reservists must agree to serve for three years and for at least 30 days per year as an active reservist, with up to $10,000 in annual compensation; reservists who fail to accept an offered appointment or complete required duties are subject to fines. The GSA may cover the costs of continuing education for reservists to support their service. The Department of Labor must issue regulations that ensure the reemployment, continuation of benefits, and nondiscrimination in reemployment of active reservists. In August 2021, President Joe Biden established the U.S. Digital Corps within the GSA to support the technological needs of executive agencies, including cybersecurity needs. The corps offers entry-level positions through two-year fellowships, with the option to convert to full-time career positions after completion of the fellowship.
United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2023
Mental Health Workforce and Language Access Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award supplemental grants to certain federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) for recruiting and retaining mental health care providers who are fluent in another language besides English. HHS must award the grants to FQHCs that are already receiving federal assistance to support outpatient primary care for low-income individuals or other underserved populations. Additionally, HHS must give preference to FQHCs where at least 10% of the patients are best served in a language other than English.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
San Gabriel Mountains Protection Act This bill designates wilderness areas and wild and scenic rivers in California and modifies the boundaries of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in California to include additional National Forest System (NFS) land. Specifically, the monument shall include approximately 109,167 acres of additional NFS land. The bill designates parcels of NFS land as wilderness and components of the National Wilderness Preservation System to create the Condor Peak Wilderness and Yerba Buena Wilderness and to add to the San Gabriel Wilderness and Sheep Mountain Wilderness. The bill designates specified wild and scenic rivers. The Department of Agriculture may issue a special use authorization to the owners of a water transport or diversion facility located on NFS land in the Pleasant View Ridge Wilderness for the continued operation, maintenance, and reconstruction of the facility if specified conditions are met.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act This bill addresses issues involving the management of federal lands in northern California. The bill designates various wilderness areas, potential wilderness areas, and wild and scenic rivers. The bill establishes the South Fork Trinity-Mad River Restoration Area, the Horse Mountain Special Management Area, and the Sanhedrin Special Conservation Management Area. The Department of the Interior may carry out initiatives to restore degraded redwood forest ecosystems in Redwood National and State Parks in partnership with California, local agencies, and nongovernmental organizations. The bill establishes the California Public Land Remediation Partnership to support coordination of activities among federal, state, tribal, and local authorities and the private sector in the remediation of federal land in the state affected by illegal marijuana cultivation or other illegal activity. The bill authorizes construction of visitor centers in Weaverville and Del Norte County. Interior must study the feasibility and suitability of establishing overnight accommodations near Redwood National and State Parks. Interior, in revising the certain fire management plans, must (1) develop spatial fire management plans in accordance with specified guidance and other appropriate policies; and (2) ensure that such plans consider how prescribed or managed fire can be used to achieve ecological management objectives of wilderness and other natural or primitive areas.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Helping Emergency Responders Overcome Act or the HERO Act This bill establishes and authorizes a series of programs relating to the behavioral health of law enforcement officers, first responders, 9-1-1 operators, and other public safety officers and health care providers. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must develop best practices for identifying, preventing, and treating post-traumatic stress and co-occurring disorders in public safety officers. HHS must work with the Fire Administration (a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and other federal agencies to incorporate the best practices into education and training programs for public safety officers. In addition, the Fire Administration must develop resources to educate mental health professionals about the workplace stressors and evidence-based therapies to treat mental health issues common to firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) providers. The bill also permits HHS to establish (1) a system at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for reporting suicides of public safety officers, and (2) grant programs to support behavioral health and wellness programs for fire departments, EMS agencies, and health care providers.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2023 This bill provides specific statutory authority for the Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education) State Educational Agency Grant Program that is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program supports school-based mental health services, including screening, treatment, and outreach programs.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
This resolution condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism and anti-Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander or ethnic intolerance. The resolution calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local officials, to expeditiously and vigorously investigate all reports of hate crimes and threats against Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States; work to improve the reporting of such hate crimes; and hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and bring the perpetrators to justice.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
First Responders' Care Expansion Act of 2023 or the FORCE Act of 2023 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of first responders between the ages of 57 and 64 who do not otherwise already qualify for Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Feed Hungry Veterans Act of 2023 This bill expands eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for certain disabled veterans, including those determined to be catastrophically disabled.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Cady Housh and Gemesha Thomas Student Suicide Prevention Act of 2023 This bill revises certain grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that support youth suicide early-intervention and prevention strategies. Specifically, the bill requires SAMHSA to award a portion of the grants for statewide training programs on emotional well-being, mental health, and suicide awareness and prevention for elementary and secondary school students and staff.
United States · United States Congress · 25 May 2023
Access Technology Affordability Act of 202 3 This bill allows a refundable tax credit equal to the amounts paid for qualified access technology for use by a blind individual who is the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or a dependent of the taxpayer. Qualified access technology is hardware, software, or other information technology with the primary function of converting or adapting information that is visually represented into forms or formats usable by blind individuals. The credit is limited to (1) costs that are not compensated by insurance or otherwise, and (2) an aggregate amount of $2,000 per blind individual in any period of three consecutive taxable years. The credit must be adjusted for inflation after 2024 and terminates after 2028.
United States · United States Congress · 24 May 2023
Love Lives On Act of 2023 This bill extends entitlement for various benefit programs and services for surviving spouses of deceased members of the Armed Forces or veterans. First, the bill removes the expiration on a surviving spouses' entitlement to educational assistance through the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (Fry Scholarship). The bill also provides that the remarriage of a surviving spouse must not bar the furnishing of dependency and indemnity compensation to such spouse. Next, the Department of Defense may not terminate the payment of an annuity for a surviving spouse under the Survivor Benefit Plan solely because the surviving spouse remarries. Additionally, the bill provides commissary store and MWR retail facility (e.g., exchange store) access to surviving spouses regardless of the martial status of the spouse. Such spouses must be entitled to use such stores and facilities to the same extent and on the same basis as surviving spouses who did not remarry. The bill expands the definition of a dependent under TRICARE to include a remarried widow or widower whose subsequent marriage has ended due to death, divorce, or annulment. Finally, the bill modifies the definition of a surviving spouse for purposes of veterans benefits to include same sex marriages.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 28081 Marguerite Parkway in Mission Viejo, California, as the "Major Megan McClung Post Office Building."
![Official portrait of Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/115_rp_ca_24_carbajal_salud_200.jpg)