United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2024
Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act of 2024 This bill establishes programs, grants, and other activities to address substance use disorders. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must establish a program for purchasing and distributing opioid overdose reversal drugs for states and Indian tribes. HHS must also award grants for and otherwise support addressing substance use, particularly in states, tribes, territories, and localities with disproportionately high drug overdose rates; increasing access to preventive, medical, recovery, and related services; developing innovative models of delivering treatment and harm reduction services; and expanding the treatment capacity of Medicaid providers. In addition, HHS must issue model standards of care for treatment services and recovery residences and may award grants for training health care professionals. The bill also supports prevention and treatment services for workers, addiction and pain management research, and data collection on substance use disorders. Further, dispensers, distributors, and manufacturers of schedule II controlled substances (e.g., oxycodone), with the exception of opioid treatment programs, must certify that they maintain effective drug diversion controls. Violators are subject to specified civil and criminal penalties. Collected penalties shall be used for the grant programs and other substance use disorder activities established under the bill.
United States · United States Congress · 8 May 2024
This resolution thanks the teachers of the United States and promotes the teaching profession by encouraging students, parents, school administrators, and public officials to recognize National Teacher Appreciation Week.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2024
Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This act provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, including election as the first African American woman in Congress. The act provides that the gold medal shall be given to and displayed at the Smithsonian Institution. The act also authorizes duplicate medals to be cast in bronze and made available for sale.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2024
This resolution expresses the sorrow of the Senate upon the announcement of the death of David Hampton Pryor, who served as a Senator and a Representative for Arkansas.
United States · United States Congress · 30 April 2024
This resolution recognizes the designation of April as Community College Month to celebrate over 1,000 community colleges throughout the United States that serve local and regional needs and strengthen the economy of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2024
Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2024 This bill deems an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital as an inpatient for purposes of satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital-stay requirement with respect to Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. (Generally, individuals must have been an inpatient at a hospital for at least three days in order to qualify for SNF services. An individual's time spent under observation at a hospital for purposes of determining whether the individual should be admitted does not count towards this requirement.)
United States · United States Congress · 11 April 2024
This resolution condemns the wrongful detention of Ryan Corbett by the Taliban, calls for his immediate and unconditional release, and expresses support for his family. (Ryan Corbett is an American citizen detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan since 2022.) The resolution also condemns the Taliban’s continued use of the wrongful detention of U.S. citizens and calls for the immediate release of other U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents wrongfully detained in Afghanistan.
United States · United States Congress · 10 April 2024
Food Supply Chain Capacity and Resiliency Act This bill allows the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand the Food Supply Chain Guaranteed Loan Program. The program may guarantee loans to support new investments in the start-up or expansion of projects in the United States that will increase U.S. food supply chain capacity to aggregate, process, manufacture, store, transport, wholesale, or distribute food. In awarding loan guarantees under this bill, USDA must give preference to loans for projects that create jobs in economically distressed communities or to help create a more resilient, diverse, and secure U.S. food supply chain. USDA must prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this program. The bill specifies that USDA must use the amounts made available to carry out this bill to supplement, and not supplant, funds provided under other federal, state, or local law.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2024
This resolution recognizes the week of March 17 through March 23, 2024, as National Poison Prevention Week and thanks those who operate or support poison control centers in local communities.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2024
Banning Oil Exports to Foreign Adversaries Act This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to prohibit the export or sale of petroleum products (e.g., crude oil) from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to (1) China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, Venezuela, Syria, and Cuba; and (2) any entity owned, controlled, or influenced by such countries or the Chinese Communist Party. However, DOE may issue a waiver of the prohibition if the export or sale of petroleum products is in the national security interests of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 20 March 2024
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2024 or the PAST Act of 2024 This bill addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, including by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 March 2024
Downpayment Toward Equity Act of 2024 This bill establishes a grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development for states and other entities to provide qualifying assistance to low-income, 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 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 · 26 February 2024
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) titled Importation of Fresh Beef From Paraguay and published on November 14, 2023. The final rule allows for the importation of fresh (chilled or frozen) beef from Paraguay into the United States under certain conditions. The United States prohibits or restricts the importation of certain animals and animal products to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). In response to a request from Paraguay to allow the importation of fresh beef from Paraguay into the United States, APHIS conducted a risk analysis. APHIS concluded that fresh beef could be safely imported from Paraguay, provided that certain conditions are met. These conditions include that (1) FMD has not been diagnosed in the exporting region within the previous 12 months; (2) the meat originated from premises where FMD has not been present during the lifetime of any bovines slaughtered for U.S. meat export; and (3) APHIS may periodically conduct on-site evaluations and subsequent inspections of the slaughter facilities, records, and operations.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2024
Child Suicide Prevention and Lethal Means Safety Act This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish grant programs and set up a website to reduce suicide rates among youth and young adults (those under age 26), including by addressing the use of firearms in suicides and suicide attempts. Specifically, HHS must award grants to states, Indian tribes, health departments, hospitals, or other organizations to train health care providers on lethal means safety (e.g., safe storage of firearms), relevant laws concerning the use and possession of firearms, and other suicide prevention and intervention strategies for youth and young adults. Grantees may use a portion of funds to make secure gun storage or safety devices available to residences with an individual under age 26 who is at risk of suicide. In addition, HHS must award grants to health professional schools to integrate content into their curricula and continuing education programs about suicide prevention strategies and interventions to reduce suicide rates among youth and young adults. The bill also requires HHS to develop and maintain a website that contains information for individuals under age 26, their families, health care providers, and health professional schools concerning suicide prevention and the use of firearms in suicide attempts.
![Official portrait of Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/b000944_200.jpg)