United States · United States Congress · 15 June 2023
Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program Enhancement Act of 2023 This bill allows the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) of the Farm Service Agency to provide additional coverage for crops and grasses used for grazing. Specifically, the bill removes an exception that prohibits certain additional coverage for crops and grasses used for grazing. (NAP provides financial assistance to producers of non-insurable crops when natural disasters result in lower yields, crop losses, or prevented crop planting.)
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau titled Small Business Lending under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B) and published on May 31, 2023. The rule requires financial institutions to collect and report to the bureau credit application data for small businesses. On July 31, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas ordered the bureau not to implement or enforce the rule until a related pending case is resolved.
United States · United States Congress · 13 June 2023
Pay Less at the Pump Act This bill eliminates the excise tax on domestic crude oil and imported petroleum products (known as the petroleum Superfund tax rate) beginning on January 1, 2023. The bill also eliminates the authority for advances to the Hazardous Substance Superfund from the General Fund of the Treasury. Under current law, the petroleum Superfund tax rate imposed is 16.4 cents per barrel (indexed annually for inflation). Amounts collected from this tax are deposited into the Hazardous Substance Superfund, which finances the remediation of certain environmentally contaminated sites. Further, under current law, the authority for advances to be appropriated to the Hazardous Substance Superfund extends through 2032.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2023
This bill directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to remove protections for the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Specifically, the bill requires the FWS to reissue the final rule titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and published on November 3, 2020. The rule removed the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States, except for the Mexican wolf ( C. l. baileyi ) subspecies, from the endangered and threatened species list. However, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California vacated the rule on February 10, 2022. As a result, the gray wolf reattained the protection status it had prior to the rule's promulgation. The bill also prohibits the reissuance of the rule from being subject to judicial review.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency rule relating to Federal "Good Neighbor Plan" for the 2015 Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (88 Fed. Reg. 36654) and published on June 5, 2023. The rule ensures that 23 states meet "Good Neighbor" standards required by the Clean Air Act by reducing pollution that significantly contributes to problems attaining and maintaining health-based air quality standards for ground-level ozone in downwind states.
United States · United States Congress · 8 June 2023
Chinese Currency Accountability Act of 2023 This bill requires the United States to oppose, absent specified conditions, any increase in the weight of Chinese currency (i.e., the renminbi) in the basket of currencies (currently, a set of five currencies, each with different weightings) used to determine the value of Special Drawing Rights. Special Drawing Rights are a currency support tool available to members of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Specifically, the Department of the Treasury must instruct certain U.S. officials at the IMF to oppose any such increase unless Treasury has certified that (1) China is in compliance with all general obligations of members of the IMF, (2) China has not been found to have manipulated its currency in the preceding 12 months, and (3) China is implementing policies and practices necessary to ensure that the renminbi is freely usable.
United States · United States Congress · 7 June 2023
Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act This bill requires the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) to test a model that provides community-based palliative care and care coordination for high-risk Medicare beneficiaries and that may replace the Medicare Care Choices Model (which ended on December 31, 2021). Under the new model, multi-disciplinary teams must provide coordinated, palliative care that is available 24-7 for Medicare beneficiaries with serious illnesses or injuries, such as cancer. The CMMI must evaluate the model by comparing patients participating in the model with those outside of the model in relation to specified metrics, including the election and duration of hospice care.
United States · United States Congress · 1 June 2023
United States-Israel Future of Warfare Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Defense to establish the United States-Israel Future of Warfare Research and Development Fund to conduct collaborative defense projects between the United States and Israel in areas of emerging technologies (e.g., artificial intelligence). The purpose of the fund is to enable the U.S. Armed Forces and the military forces of Israel to meet emerging defense challenges.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Forest Improvements through Research and Emergency Stewardship for Healthy Ecosystem Development and Sustainability Act or the FIRESHEDS Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to National Forest System lands, and the Department of the Interior, with respect to public lands, no later than 90 days after receiving a request from a state, to enter into an agreement with such state to jointly designate one or more fireshed management areas within such state, and conduct fireshed management projects in such fireshed management areas. Not later than 90 days after entering into an agreement, the USDA or Interior, as appropriate, and such state shall jointly conduct a stewardship and fireshed assessment. The USDA and Interior shall carry out fireshed management projects in accordance with the timeline and project size limitations included in the stewardship and fireshed assessment. Fireshed management projects shall be categorically excluded from the preparation of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement and exempt from the special administrative review process.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Supporting American Independence in Innovation Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Department of Energy from disbursing any financial award, such as a grant, to any entity that (1) is in a joint venture with a state-owned enterprise owned by China, or (2) has a board of directors that includes an individual who has participated in a foreign talent recruitment program administered by China.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Uranium Miners and Workers Act of 2023 This bill extends and expands eligibility for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program. This program compensates individuals who were exposed to radiation while employed in uranium mining operations and subsequently developed qualifying medical conditions. Specifically, the bill extends the fund that supports the program for the four years following the enactment of the bill. (The fund currently terminates on June 7, 2024.) It also transfers to the fund a specified amount of unobligated funding appropriated for the COVID-19 response. In addition, the bill expands eligibility for the program in multiple ways. Current law limits eligibility to individuals who were employed between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1971, as uranium miners, millers, or ore transporters. The bill expands the program by (1) making those employed through December 31, 1978, and those employed as core drillers eligible; and (2) providing compensation for kidney cancers and other chronic kidney diseases to all individuals eligible for the program.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Securing American Research from Foreign Adversaries Act or the SARFA Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to administer polygraphs to foreign nationals of countries of concern as a condition of their employment at or internal access to the department's national laboratories. Covered countries include China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, and any other country designated by the Department of State. The bill also specifically applies provisions that require the department to assess the security risks of certain research activities, and that prohibit entities of concern from participating in these activities, to all programs and activities of the department, including the department's national laboratories.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Main Street Tax Certainty Act This bill makes permanent the tax deduction for qualified business income. (Under current law, the deduction expires after December 31, 2025.) Qualified business income is defined as the net amount of qualified items of income, gain, deduction and loss with respect to any trade or business, excluding capital gains or losses, dividends, interest income, or income earned outside the U.S.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
No START Treaty Act This bill sets requirements for certain nuclear arms agreements with Russia and bars the expenditure of funds to implement the New START Treaty (a nuclear arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia signed April 8, 2010) or similar future agreements unless such requirements are met. The bill prohibits the President from negotiating or entering into a treaty with Russia that would allow Russia to possess an equal or greater number of nuclear warheads or nuclear-capable delivery systems than the United States unless the treaty or agreement restricts the size of China's nuclear arsenal; includes measures to ensure that Russia and China are compliant with the terms of the treaty; includes inspections of Chinese nuclear facilities comparable to those for Russian facilities; includes current and future Russian strategic nuclear arms not currently limited by the New START Treaty (e.g., intercontinental hypersonic glide vehicles); and includes current and future non-strategic nuclear weapons and delivery systems. In the absence of a ratified treaty incorporating such provisions, the President is prohibited from reducing the size of the U.S. nuclear arsenal or entering into an agreement with Russia or China to limit or reduce U.S. missile defenses. Beginning one year after the bill's enactment, no funds may be expended to implement the New START Treaty, or any future agreement with Russia that limits the number of U.S. nuclear warheads or nuclear capable delivery systems, unless the above requirements are included or already in effect or a waiver is approved.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act This bill directs the Bureau of Reclamation to negotiate with the Midvale Irrigation District in Wyoming to enter into an agreement to convey the Pilot Butte Power Plant and its facilities from Reclamation to the irrigation district.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule that requires all new motor vehicles to have devices that can access AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment. (AM broadcast stations are often used to deliver emergency alerts and news and entertainment programming; some newer vehicles do not include AM equipment.) Specifically, this bill applies to motor vehicles manufactured in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce after the rule's effective date. The DOT rule must require all such vehicles to have devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations or digital audio AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment. Prior to the effective date of the rule, manufacturers that do not include devices that can access AM broadcast stations as standard equipment must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling. DOT may assess civil penalties against any manufacturer that fails to comply with the mandate. The Department of Justice may also bring a civil action to enjoin a violation. Further, the Government Accountability Office must study and report on whether a reliable alternative communication system exists for delivering emergency alerts and consider the (1) cost to drivers and passengers of receiving communications through an alternative system, and (2) cost and time required to develop and implement an alternative.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
This resolution designates the week of May 14-May 20, 2023, as National Police Week. The resolution further recognizes law enforcement officers across the United States in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities; the need to ensure that such officers have the equipment, training, and resources necessary to protect their health and safety while they are protecting the public; and the law enforcement community for acts of sacrifice and heroism. The resolution expresses condolences and appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act This bill addresses overpayments of unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, including by providing incentives for states to investigate and recover these funds. Specifically, the bill allows a state to retain 25% of any funds recovered from fraudulent overpayments of certain UI benefits that were provided during the COVID-19 pandemic. These retained funds must be used for specified program integrity measures, such as modernizing UI systems and information technology and hiring fraud investigators. The bill allows a state to retain up to 5% of (1) any UI overpayment it recovers, except where the overpayment is due to state agency error; and (2) any unpaid employer contributions that the state recovers, if the state certifies that it has enacted certain fraud detection measures. A state must use the retained funds for specified purposes, such as deterring, detecting, and preventing improper payments. Additionally, the bill extends from 3 to 10 years the time during which states must recover overpayments of pandemic UI benefits through benefit offsets. The bill also extends from 5 to 10 years the statute of limitations for federal criminal charges or civil enforcement actions related to UI fraud. Further, the bill extends an exception to the federal requirement that state UI personnel be hired on a merit basis. The bill allows a state to hire temporary staff on a noncompetitive basis through December 31, 2030. Finally, the bill repeals a provision that provided funding to the Department of Labor for UI program integrity activities.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Resiliency for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act This bill makes vacant grazing allotments temporarily available to holders of grazing permits or leases after a natural disaster. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall make available to the holder of a grazing permit or lease issued by either Interior or USDA the temporary use of a vacant grazing allotment if one or more grazing allotments covered by the grazing permit or lease of the holder are temporarily unusable because of resource conditions from unforeseen natural events or disasters (including an extreme weather event, drought, wildfire, infestation, or blight). The bill allows investment of amounts in the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The bill allocates income generated by that investment to rangeland improvement projects and enhancing, expanding, or improving access to public lands or National Forest System land to benefit hunting and recreation activities. The bill increases the maximum duration of grazing permits and leases from 10 years to 20 years.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Book Minimum Tax Repeal Act This bill repeals the 15% alternative tax on the financial statement (i.e., book) income of certain corporations. The tax applies to companies that report over $1 billion in profits to their shareholders.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to World War II Army and Navy Nurse Corps members in recognition of their critical military service and devotion to duty.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
National American Indian Veterans Charter Act This bill grants a federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans Inc., which is a nonprofit corporation organized in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Back the Blue Act of 2023 This bill establishes new criminal offenses for killing, assaulting, and fleeing to avoid prosecution for killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. Additionally, the bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, or firefighter or other first responder; broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms; and limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2023
Revitalizing the Economy by Simplifying Timelines and Assuring Regulatory Transparency Act or the RESTART Act This bill limits, accelerates timelines under, or otherwise modifies several environmental laws. Specifically, it accelerates, coordinates, and limits the environmental review of federal actions under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. For example, it (1) establishes deadlines for completing any Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), (2) directs agencies to prepare a single environmental document (e.g., EIS), and (3) limits judicial review. The bill also prohibits agencies from using estimates for the social cost of greenhouse gases when taking agency actions if such use may increase the cost of energy or prolong the timeline for taking actions. It also revises the Clean Air Act, including to allow existing facilities to make certain modifications without obtaining new permits under the New Source Review program. The bill also revises the Clean Water Act, including to (1) provide statutory authority for the definition of waters of the United States in the 2020 navigable waters protection rule, and (2) limit the scope of water quality certifications. It also modifies the underground injection control program to accelerate the review of state applications to obtain responsibility under the Safe Drinking Water Act for regulating Class VI wells, which are used to store captured carbon. In addition, the bill accelerates the timelines for the consultation process under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Finally, the bill establishes requirements to expedite the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2023
Lifting Our Communities through Advance Liquidity for Infrastructure Act or the LOCAL Infrastructure Act This bill reinstates tax provisions relating to advance refunding bonds. An advance refunding bond is a tax-exempt bond issued by a state or municipality to refinance or consolidate existing bond obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2023
Spur Permitting of Underdeveloped Resources Act or the SPUR Act This bill (1) accelerates the environmental review of certain federal actions related to energy; (2) modifies various laws pertaining to energy and mineral development; (3) establishes requirements related to the supply and delivery of electricity and natural gas; and (4) makes requirements concerning other natural resources. Specifically, the bill sets forth provisions to expedite the environmental review of certain federal actions that involve energy and mineral development, energy supply, or natural resources, such as issuing permits to export liquefied natural gas. It also establishes requirements about leasing onshore and offshore federal land for oil and gas development, including by directing the Department of the Interior to immediately resume onshore quarterly lease sales. By September 30, 2023, Interior must also approve a final 2023-2028 offshore leasing program. The bill also sets forth provisions to prevent or remove certain limitations on mining federal land and make related requirements. In addition, the bill directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to adopt tariff provisions, rate treatments, and other changes that are necessary to protect the adequacy, affordability, reliability, and security of the supply and delivery of electricity and natural gas by interstate pipelines. The bill also modifies FERC's responsibilities under a variety of laws. Finally, the bill modifies other laws governing natural resources, such as by extending the renewal term for grazing permits and directing the Bureau of Land Management to withdraw a proposed rule titled Conservation and Landscape Health .
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2023
This bill requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withdraw a proposed rule relating to conservation and landscape health and prohibits the BLM from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule or any substantially similar rule.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2023
This resolution honors the 75 th anniversary of the founding of modern Israel. It reaffirms the partnership between Israel and the United States and the U.S. commitment to the security of Israel. The resolution also supports peace between Israelis and Palestinians, the Abraham Accords, the Negev Forum, and all ongoing efforts to formalize and strengthen relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of 202 3 This bill designates specified wilderness study areas, special management areas, a National Conservation Area, and other areas in Wyoming. The bill designates the following areas as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: certain land within the Encampment River Canyon Wilderness Study Area, to be known as the Encampment River Canyon Wilderness; certain land within the Prospect Mountain Wilderness Study Area, to be known as the Prospect Mountain Wilderness; certain land within the Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness Study Area, to be known as the Upper Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness and the Lower Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness; and certain land within the Bobcat Draw Wilderness Study Area, to be known as the Bobcat Draw Wilderness. The bill designates the following special management areas: Bennett Mountains, Black Cat, Sweetwater Rocks, and Cedar Mountain. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) shall divide the land within the Dubois Badlands Wilderness Study Area into the Dubois Motorized Recreation Area and the Dubois Badlands National Conservation Area, separating the two with a fence. The bill designates Fortification Creek, Fraker Mountain, and North Fork as management areas. The proposed BLM rule titled Conservation and Landscape Health or any substantially similar rule shall not apply to the land covered by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Directing Independent Research To Yield Carbon Assessment Regarding Electric Vehicles Act of 2023 or the DIRTY CAR EV Act of 2023 The bill directs the Government Accountability Office to study the total carbon footprint and environmental impact of an electric vehicle ecosystem, including all aspects of the production, use, and disposal of electric vehicles.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence Off Fentanyl Act or the FEND Off Fentanyl Act This bill requires or authorizes various actions, including sanctions, targeting foreign persons (individuals and entities) engaged in trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit opioids. This bill requires that the sanctions specified in Executive Order 14059 (relating to sanctions on foreign persons involved in the global illicit drug trade), as well as any amendments to or directives issued pursuant to that executive order before the date of the enactment of this bill, shall remain in effect. The bill also requires the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person knowingly involved in (1) significant trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl precursors, or other related opioids by a transnational criminal organization; or (2) significant activities of a transnational criminal organization relating to the trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl precursors, or other related opioids. The Department of the Treasury is authorized to take certain actions relating to classes of transactions that (1) involve a non-U.S. jurisdiction, and (2) are of primary money laundering concern in connection with illicit opioid trafficking. For such transaction classes, Treasury may require domestic financial institutions to (1) take certain special measures, (2) prohibit certain transmittals of funds, or (3) impose conditions on transmittals of funds. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network must issue guidance to U.S. financial institutions for filing reports of suspicious transactions related to suspected fentanyl trafficking by transnational criminal organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Save Local Business Act This bill provides that a person may be considered a joint employer in relation to an employee under federal labor law only if such person directly, actually, and immediately (and not in a limited and routine manner) exercises significant control over the essential terms and conditions of employment. Such control may by demonstrated by hiring and discharging employees, determining individual employee rates of pay and benefits, day-to-day supervision of employees, assigning individual work schedules, positions, and tasks, and administering employee discipline.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor final rule entitled Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States and published on February 28, 2023. This rule makes changes to the methodology used to set adverse effect wage rates for H-2A workers (temporary agricultural workers), including by using Bureau of Labor Statistics wage surveys in certain instances. (Generally, the minimum wage for an H-2A worker is the highest of the adverse effect wage rate, the applicable minimum wage, the prevailing wage for that occupation in that area, or any agreed-upon collective bargaining wage.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
Defend Our Networks Act This bill requires certain unobligated funds that were provided to address COVID-19 to be transferred to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for carrying out the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program. (Under the program, the FCC reimburses certain providers of advanced communications services for reasonable expenses incurred in the removal, replacement, and disposal of communications equipment and services produced or provided by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
IRS Accountability and Taxpayer Protection Act This bill modifies procedural rules for the imposition of tax penalties by requiring, among other things, the approval of such penalties to be given in the pre-assessment process when a supervisor or higher level official has the discretion to give or withhold such approval.
United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023
Employee Rights Act This bill generally addresses employer obligations related to unionized workplaces. This bill provides that an employer may be considered a joint employer in relation to an employee under federal labor law only if such employer directly, actually, and immediately (and not in a limited and routine manner) exercises significant control over the essential terms and conditions of employment. Such control may by demonstrated by hiring and discharging employees, determining individual employee rates of pay and benefits, day-to-day supervision of employees, assigning individual work schedules, positions, and tasks, and administering employee discipline. The bill also requires a workplace election to approve or reject a union to be conducted by secret ballot. Further, the bill requires an employer to provide limited employee information to union representatives to facilitate a workplace election. An employer that mishandles or fails to provide such information according to the bill's requirements may be liable for an unfair labor practice (i.e., labor law violation). Additionally, the bill requires an employee to authorize in writing any use of the employee's labor organization dues or other contribution for a purpose other than collective bargaining or contract administration. Such authorization must be made upon 35 days' notice and expires after one year. Finally, the bill exempts Indian Tribes, including Indian Tribe enterprises and institutions, from the collective bargaining rights and related provisions of federal labor law.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
This resolution designates April 22-30, 2023, as National Park Week. The resolution also encourages the people of the United States and the world to responsibly visit, experience, recreate in, and support the treasured national parks of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023
Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2023 This bill bars the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water that is under the jurisdiction of such departments and made available for hunting or fishing. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the applicable department determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2023
This resolution states that the Senate holds the Russian government responsible for the illegal kidnapping of children from Ukraine and condemns these actions. The resolution also (1) declares that illegal adoptions are contrary to the Genocide Convention (the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide); (2) claims that Russia is attempting to wipe out a generation of Ukrainian children; and (3) asserts that Russia's invasion of Ukraine has increased the risks of children being exposed to human trafficking, exploitation, child labor, gender-based violence, hunger, injury, trauma, deprivation of education and shelter, and death.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Death Tax Repeal Act of 2023 This bill repeals the estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes. It also makes conforming amendments related to the gift tax.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Journalism Competition and Preservation Act of 2023 This bill sets out a process through which certain broadcast or digital news providers may collectively negotiate with covered online platforms (e.g., social media companies) regarding use of the news providers' content by the platforms. Specifically, the bill authorizes an eligible provider (e.g., one with no more than 1,500 full-time employees and nonnetwork news broadcasters that engage in specified news practices) to jointly form an entity with other eligible providers to negotiate the pricing, terms, and conditions by which covered online platforms use the providers' content. A covered platform is generally one that (1) has at least 50 million monthly domestic users, and (2) is owned or controlled by a person with either sales or a market capitalization that exceeds a specified amount or at least one billion monthly users worldwide. The bill establishes requirements concerning the formation, governance, operation, and termination of the joint negotiation entity. It also exempts from antitrust laws certain actions by a joint negotiation entity (e.g., providers jointly denying a platform's access to the providers' content). The bill outlines requirements governing the conduct of the negotiations by, for example, requiring the parties to negotiate in good faith. Additionally, the bill provides for private rights of action if the requirements for a negotiation are not met and establishes requirements for arbitration in limited circumstances. The Government Accountability Office must study the impact of the joint negotiations, including their effects on local and regional news and the employment of journalists. In general, the bill's provisions terminate six years after its enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Regulations for Listing Endangered and Threatened Species and Designating Critical Habitat and published on June 24, 2022. The 2022 rule rescinds an earlier rule which limited the ability of the service to designate an area a critical habitat . Areas designated as critical habitat are subject to certain statutory restrictions.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Accelerate Long-term Investment Growth Now Act or the ALIGN Act This bill makes permanent the expensing of certain new business equipment. Expensing allows the deduction of the full amount of an expense item in the same taxable year.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2023 This bill requires the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to study access by underserved populations to general surgeons. Specifically, HRSA must study (1) whether the health professional shortage area designation under the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) program accurately assesses adequacy of access to general surgeons, (2) whether another measure would be more accurate, and (3) potential methodologies for designating general surgery shortage areas. (The NHSC provides scholarships and student loan repayment awards to primary care, dental care, and mental health care providers who agree to work in areas that HRSA designates as having a shortage of those particular types of providers.) HRSA must also publish data comparing the availability and need of general surgery services in urban, suburban, and rural areas. On the basis of its study, HRSA may establish a methodology for designating general surgery shortage areas and make such designations. If any designations are made, HRSA must publish a list of general surgery shortage areas.
![Official portrait of Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b001261_200.jpg)