United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2023
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that (1) policies governing access to medication abortion care should be based on scientific review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and (2) the FDA has found mifepristone to be safe and effective for women seeking abortions.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2023
Military Personnel Confirmation Restoration Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide certain relief to individuals whose promotions to a grade or rank in the Armed Forces of O-7 or higher were delayed by the Senate. Specifically, the bill applies to those individuals who were confirmed between December 5, 2023, and December 31, 2023. The bill requires DOD to provide pay and benefits associated with the appointment retroactive to the later of (1) the date that is 30 days after the date on which the nomination was placed on the Executive Calendar of the Senate, or (2) the date on which the individual would have been appointed but for the suspension of Senate confirmation of appointments.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2023
Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act This bill prohibits a credit reporting agency from providing a consumer's credit report to a third party in connection with a residential mortgage transaction unless (1) the third party provides documentation certifying that it has the consumer's consent; or (2) the third party has originated the mortgage, is the current loan servicer, or has a current specified banking relationship with the consumer.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2023
Grandfamilies Act of 2023 This bill expands access to specified programs for children living with grandparents or other family members who are not their legal guardian. Specifically, the bill provides that a child of a relative eligible for Old-Age and Survivors Insurance benefits is eligible for such benefit payments if that child (1) began living with such relative before age 18, (2) receives at least 50% of their support from such relative, and (3) has lived with such relative pursuant to a court order for at least 12 months. Additionally, the bill revises the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligibility requirements for children living with specified caregiver relatives. First, the bill lessens the requirement for TANF applicants to assign their rights to child support when such assignment may impact the likelihood of reunifying the child with their noncustodial parent, such as where the noncustodial parent is working to gain financial stability so they may reunify with their child. Further, when a child, but not the caregiver relative, receives TANF benefits (i.e., child-only cases), or if the caregiver relative is 55 or older, the bill (1) excludes such caregiver’s income from that child’s eligibility determination, (2) removes the 5-year cap on assistance, and (3) exempts such caregiver relatives from TANF work requirements. The bill also (1) encourages states to enact temporary guardianship laws, (2) provides grants for state plans to support caregiver relatives, and (3) requires the Administration for Community Living to provide grants for establishing cross-sector partnerships that support families with caregiver relatives.
United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2023
This resolution extends sympathies to the family and friends of Sandra Day O’Connor. The resolution also acknowledges her lifetime of service, including as an Arizona state senator and the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2023
Fertilizer Research Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to publish on the department's website a report on the U.S. fertilizer industry. Among other things, the report must include a description of the impacts on the fertilizer industry that influence the prices that agricultural producers receive for their products; a description of the size and value of the U.S. fertilizer market over the previous 25 years; a description of the importation of fertilizer into the United States and the impacts that antidumping and countervailing duties have on retail fertilizer prices; a study of market concentration of the U.S. fertilizer industry; an assessment of the regulatory environment governing fertilizer production, distribution, and usage; and a description of the extent to which current public price reporting of fertilizer is transparent for market participants and recommendations on whether further reporting is needed.
United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2023
This resolution mourns the passing of First Lady Rosalynn Carter, extends sympathies to her husband and family, and honors her contributions to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2023
Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Education to issue guidance and recommendations for institutions of higher education to remove criminal and juvenile justice questions from their admission applications.
United States · United States Congress · 28 November 2023
This resolution designates National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. It also encourages individuals to increase their understanding and awareness of care at the end of life.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2023
This resolution expresses support for the goals and principles of Transgender Day of Remembrance by recognizing the epidemic of violence toward transgender people and memorializing the lives lost this year.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2023
Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2023 This bill expands Medicare coverage of medical nutrition therapy services. Currently, Medicare covers such services for individuals with diabetes or kidney disease under certain circumstances; such services must also be provided by a registered dietitian or nutrition professional pursuant to a physician referral. The bill extends coverage to individuals with other diseases and conditions, including obesity, eating disorders, cancer, and HIV/AIDS; such services may also be referred by a physician assistant, nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, or (for eating disorders) a clinical psychologist.
United States · United States Congress · 13 November 2023
Equal Access to Green cards for Legal Employment Act of 2023 or the EAGLE Act of 2023 This bill modifies requirements related to employment-based visas and addresses related issues. The bill increases the per-country cap on family-based immigrant visas from 7% of the total number of such visas available that year to 15% and eliminates the per-country cap for employment-based immigrant visas. The bill establishes transition rules for employment-based visas such as (1) reserving a percentage of EB-2 (workers with advanced degrees or exceptional ability) and EB-3 (skilled and other workers) visas for individuals not from the two countries with the largest number of recipients of such visas, and (2) allotting a number of visas for professional nurses and physical therapists. The bill imposes additional requirements on an employer seeking an H-1B visa, such as prohibiting (1) an employer from advertising that a position is only open to H-1B applicants or that H-1B applicants are preferred, and (2) certain employers from having more than half of their employees as nonimmigrant visa workers. The Department of Labor shall create a publicly available website where an employer seeking an H-1B visa must post certain information about the open position. The bill also expands Labor's authority to review and investigate H-1B applications for fraud or misrepresentations. The bill also allows certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) to obtain lawful permanent resident status if the individual (1) is in the United States as a nonimmigrant, (2) has an approved immigrant visa petition, and (3) has waited at least two years for a visa.
United States · United States Congress · 9 November 2023
VA Billing Accountability Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to waive the requirement that a veteran make co-payments for medications, hospital care, nursing home care, and medical services in certain situations. Specifically, a veteran may have such co-payments waived if (1) an error committed by the VA or a non-VA facility delayed co-payment notification to the veteran, and (2) the veteran received such notification later than 180 days (18 months in the case of a non-VA facility) after the date on which the veteran received the care or services. In requiring a veteran to make a co-payment for care or services provided at a VA or a non-VA medical facility, the VA shall notify the veteran not later than 180 days (18 months in the case of a non-VA facility) after the date on which the veteran received the care or services. If the VA does not provide notification by such date, it may not collect the payment, including through a third-party entity, unless the veteran is provided with (1) information about applying for a waiver and establishing a payment plan with the VA, and (2) an opportunity to make a waiver or establish a payment plan. Finally, the bill requires the VA to review and improve its co-payment billing internal controls and notification procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 7 November 2023
Access to Capital Creates Economic Strength and Supports Rural America Act or the ACCESS Rural America Act This bill increases the shareholder registration threshold for issuers receiving support through federal universal service support mechanisms, which provide communication services to underserved areas. The bill also requires these issuers to make available certain financial information to investors, such as a summary of their consolidated balance sheet.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2023
Curtailing Executive Overcompensation (CEO) Act This bill imposes an excise tax on employers (i.e., business entities) that have at least a 50 to 1 disparity between the wages (including bonuses, stock awards and options) of chief executive officers and the wages paid to their workers. The bill applies to employers that have not less than $100 million in annual gross receipts and $10 million in payroll over a 3 year period. The bill limits such tax to 1% of an employer's gross receipts.
United States · United States Congress · 1 November 2023
Legacies of War Recognition and Unexploded Ordnance Removal Act This bill authorizes the President to provide humanitarian aid to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia for (1) the clearance of unexploded ordnance, and (2) assistance for survivors of the explosive remnants of war in the region. The President must annually brief Congress on such activities.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2023
Tribal Child Support Enforcement Act This bill permits tribal child support enforcement agencies to access the Federal Tax Refund Offset Program to collect past-due child support payments from the federal tax refunds of noncustodial parents. Additionally, the bill authorizes the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration to disclose certain tax return information to tribal child support enforcement agencies. Such information may be disclosed to establish and collect child support obligations from, and to locate, those individuals owing such obligations. It also permits the Department of Health and Human Services to reimburse tribal agencies for certain reporting costs related to the Federal Parent Locator Service.
United States · United States Congress · 26 October 2023
Stop Subsidizing Multimillion Dollar Corporate Bonuses Act This bill extends the $1 million limit on the deductibility of executive compensation to all employees of publicly traded corporations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 October 2023
This resolution recognizes October 2023 as National Women's Small Business Month, honoring the role of women small business owners and entrepreneurs and encouraging the support and creation of women-owned small businesses.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2023
This resolution encourages India to end its persecution of religious minorities and recognizes India's security challenges. Specifically, the resolution encourages India to amend discriminatory laws and executive orders to treat Muslims the same as other religious groups. It also urges India to return citizenship to those declared non-citizens by its National Register for Citizens, to release individuals unnecessarily detained, and to repeal anti-conversion and anti-blasphemy laws widely misused against Christians.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2023
HCBS Relief Act of 2023 This bill temporarily increases the applicable Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) under Medicaid for certain approved home- and community-based services that are provided during FY2024-FY2025. As a condition for receiving the increased rate, a state must agree to undertake activities to improve the delivery of such services, such as by providing additional benefits to home health workers and by helping individuals who were relocated to nursing facilities move back to their homes.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2023
Preventing Opportunities for Teen E-Cigarette and Tobacco Addiction Act or the PROTECT Act This bill requires the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to develop a strategy and carry out a specific initiative to prevent and reduce the use of electronic cigarettes and emerging tobacco products among youth and young adults. As part of the initiative, the CDC must conduct research and surveillance on types of products, patterns of use, health impacts, and other aspects of the use of such products by youth and young adults; evaluate prevention and intervention strategies and develop guidance for intervening and treating youth and young adults who use such products; identify effective messaging and communication efforts and implement a national public education campaign concerning the use of such products; and continue to fund grants for tobacco control programs in health departments, including efforts to prevent and reduce the use of such products by youth and young adults.
United States · United States Congress · 24 October 2023
Safe Schools Improvement Act This bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics), disability, or religion. Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level. The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.
United States · United States Congress · 19 October 2023
America's College Promise Act of 2023 This bill provides funding and establishes grant programs to expand access to higher education, including by providing free community college to students. Specifically, the bill establishes a program to waive resident tuition and fees for community college students. The Department of Education (ED) must award grants to states and tribal colleges and universities to pay the federal share of the program. As a condition of receiving such a grant, a state must (1) submit a plan to align the requirements for receiving a regular high school diploma with the requirements for entering credit-bearing coursework at community colleges; and (2) submit a plan to improve transfer pathways between institutions of higher education (IHEs), including by ensuring that associate degrees awarded by community colleges are fully transferable to four-year IHEs. Next, the bill directs ED to award grants to states and tribal colleges and universities for implementing evidence-based institutional reforms and innovative practices to improve student outcomes. In addition, ED must award grants to participating historically Black colleges and universities, tribal colleges and universities, and minority-serving institutions to waive or significantly reduce the first 60 credits of tuition and fees for low-income students.
![Official portrait of Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b001230_200.jpg)