United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act This bill requires manufacturers of internet-connected devices (e.g., smart appliances) that are equipped with a camera or microphone to disclose to consumers prior to purchase that a camera or microphone is part of the device. The bill does not apply to mobile phones, laptops, or other devices that a consumer would reasonably expect to include a camera or microphone.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Full Faith and Credit Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to prioritize certain obligations if the federal debt limit is reached and provides for a limited increase in the debt limit to fund these priorities. If the federal government reaches the debt limit, the following obligations must be given equal priority over all other federal obligations: the principal and interest on the debt held by the public; Social Security benefits; pay and allowances for members of the Armed Forces on active duty and members of the U.S. Coast Guard; compensation, pensions, and payments for medical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Medicare programs. If the debt limit has been reached and incoming revenue will be insufficient to pay the priority obligations over an upcoming two-week period, the bill requires (1) Treasury to notify Congress of the expected revenue shortfall for the two-week period, and (2) the debt limit to be increased by the amount of the expected shortfall. If the incoming revenue exceeds the expected shortfall, the excess revenue must be held in reserve and applied to the following two-week period.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Adopting Cryptocurrency in Congress as an Exchange of Payment for Transactions Resolution or the ACCEPT Resolution This resolution requires the Architect of the Capitol, the Secretary of the Senate, and the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives to encourage Capitol gift shops to accept cryptocurrency and to enter into contracts with vendors that accept cryptocurrency to provide food service and vending machines in the Capitol.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2023 This bill modifies provisions relating to federal funding for, and health insurance coverage of, abortions. Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions or for health coverage that includes abortions. Such restrictions extend to the use of funds in the budget of the District of Columbia. Additionally, abortions may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. Historically, language has been included in annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions—such language is commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment. Similar language is also frequently included in appropriations bills for other federal agencies and the District of Columbia. The bill makes these restrictions permanent and extends the restrictions to all federal funds (rather than specific agencies). The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or where a physical disorder, injury, or illness endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Hyde Amendment provides the same exceptions. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for abortions. Currently, qualified health plans may cover abortion, but the portion of the premium attributable to abortion coverage is not eligible for subsidies.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
No Budget, No Pay Act This bill prohibits Members of Congress from being paid in a fiscal year until both chambers approve the budget resolution and pass all regular appropriations bills for that fiscal year. Retroactive pay is prohibited for such a period.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Standing with Moms Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to disseminate information about pregnancy-related resources. Specifically, HHS must maintain a public website (life.gov) that lists such resources that are available through federal, state, and local governments and private entities. Additionally, HHS must maintain on its website a portal that provides a user, based on the user's responses to a series of questions, tailored information about pregnancy resources available in the user's zip code and risks related to abortion. HHS must develop a plan to conduct follow-up outreach to users of the portal (if the user consents to the outreach). States must recommend resources that meet criteria set by HHS for including through the portal. HHS may award grants to states to establish or support a system that aggregates resources to include on the portal. Further, the Health Resources and Services Administration must share information about life.gov and the portal through the Maternal Mental Health Hotline. HHS must also ensure that the life.gov website and hotline are available to families who speak languages other than English. The bill excludes from life.gov, the portal, and the hotline resources provided by entities that (1) perform, induce, refer for, or counsel in favor of abortions; or (2) financially support such entities. The bill also requires HHS to report on traffic to life.gov and the portal, gaps in services available to pregnant and postpartum individuals, and related matters.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act of 2023 This bill creates new federal crimes related to transporting a minor across state lines for an abortion. Specifically, the bill makes it a crime to knowingly transport a minor across a state line to obtain an abortion without satisfying the requirements of a parental involvement law in the minor's resident state. A parental involvement law requires parental consent or notification, or judicial authorization, for a minor to obtain an abortion. The bill prohibits an individual who has committed incest with a minor from knowingly transporting the minor across a state line to receive an abortion. Finally, the bill makes it a crime for a physician to knowingly perform or induce an abortion on an out-of-state minor without first notifying the minor's parent.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Student Empowerment Act This bill allows tax-exempt distributions from qualified tuition programs (known as 529 plans) to be used for additional educational expenses in connection with enrollment or attendance at an elementary or secondary school. (Under current law, distributions in connection with an elementary or secondary school are limited to tuition for a public, private, or religious school.) The bill allows the distributions to be used for additional educational expenses, including curriculum and curricular materials, books or other instructional materials, online educational materials, tutoring or educational classes outside the home, testing fees, fees for dual enrollment in an institution of higher education, and educational therapies for students with disabilities. Distributions may also be used for tuition and the purposes above in connection with a homeschool (whether treated as a homeschool or a private school under state law).
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Focus on the Mission Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Department of Defense from requiring the recipient of a federal contract to provide a greenhouse gas inventory or to provide any other report on greenhouse gas emissions.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Allowing Military Exemptions, Recognizing Individual Concerns About New Shots Act of 2023 or the AMERICANS Act This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from issuing any COVID-19 vaccine mandate as a replacement for the rescinded vaccine mandate of August 24, 2021, unless the mandate is expressly authorized by Congress. The bill also provides that DOD must establish an application process for remedies for members of the Armed Forces who were discharged or subject to adverse action under the rescinded mandate. Any administrative discharge of a member on the sole basis of a failure to receive a COVID-19 vaccine must be categorized as an honorable discharge, and DOD is prohibited from taking any adverse action against such a member for that reason. Under the bill, DOD must try to retain unvaccinated members and provide such members with professional development, promotion and leadership opportunities, and consideration equal to that of their peers. Additionally, DOD may only consider the COVID-19 vaccination status of members in making certain decisions (e.g., deployments in countries where it is the law) and must establish a process to provide exemptions to certain members for such decisions. This bill applies to all members of the Armed Forces, regardless of whether they sought an accommodation to any DOD COVID-19 vaccination policy.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act This bill allows individual and corporate taxpayers a tax credit for cash contributions to certain scholarship-granting and workforce training organizations. It imposes a cap of $10 billion on the sum of contributions that qualify for a tax credit under this bill. The bill requires the Department of Education, in coordination with the Departments of the Treasury and Labor, to establish, host, and maintain a web portal that (1) lists all eligible scholarship-granting and workforce training organizations; (2) enables contributions to such organizations; (3) provides information about the benefits of this bill; and (4) enables a state to submit and update information about its programs and educational organizations, including information on student eligibility and allowable educational expenses.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Education Savings Accounts for Military Families Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish a program to provide children with parents on active duty in the uniformed services with funds to pay educational expenses. Specifically, ED must establish a tax-exempt Military Education Savings Account for dependent children of parents in the uniformed services for the payment of the children's educational expenses. Funds in the savings account may be used for specified purposes, including the cost of attendance at a private elementary or secondary school or institution of higher education, private tutoring, or costs associated with an apprenticeship or other vocational training program.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to allow an individual who is not a U.S. citizen to vote in any election in the District of Columbia (DC). Further, DC must certify that it does not allow noncitizens to vote in elections as a condition of receiving any federal funds. Federal law bars noncitizens from voting in federal elections; however, the DC Council passed a bill on October 18, 2022, that allows noncitizens who meet residency and other requirements to vote in local elections.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
Stop the Nosy Obsession with Online Payments Act of 2023 or the SNOOP Act of 2023 This bill modifies requirements for third party settlement organizations to eliminate their reporting requirement with respect to the transactions of their participating payees unless they have earned more than $20,000 on more than 200 separate transactions in an applicable tax period. A third party settlement organization is the central organization that has the contractual obligation to make payments to participating payees (generally, a merchant or business) in a third party payment network. This reverses a provision in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that lowered the reporting threshold to $600 with no minimum on the number of transactions.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
Ensuring Accurate and Complete Abortion Data Reporting Act of 2023 This bill requires states, as a condition of federal payment under Medicaid for family planning services, to report certain abortion data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Currently, reporting is voluntary.) The CDC must develop standardized questions for states with respect to specified variables (e.g., maternal demographics and methods of abortion).
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
Protecting Life on College Campus Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the award of federal funds to an institution of higher education (IHE) that hosts or is affiliated with a school-based service site that provides abortion drugs or abortions to its students or to employees of the IHE or the site. An IHE that hosts or is affiliated with a site must, in order to remain eligible for federal funds, annually certify that the site does not provide abortion drugs or abortions to students or employees.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment limiting Representatives to three terms and Senators to two terms. Terms beginning before the ratification of this amendment do not count towards these term limits.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
Protecting America's Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act This bill prohibits the sale and export of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to China. Specifically, the bill prohibits the Department of Energy (DOE) from selling petroleum products (e.g., crude oil) from the SPR to any entity that is under the ownership, control, or influence of the Chinese Communist Party. Further, DOE must require as a condition of any sale of crude oil from the SPR that the oil not be exported to China.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act This bill creates new federal crimes related to the performance of an abortion on an unborn child who has Down syndrome. It subjects a violator to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to five years, or both. It also authorizes civil remedies, including damages and injunctive relief. A woman who undergoes such an abortion may not be prosecuted or held civilly liable.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
Protect Funding for Women's Health Care Act This bill prohibits federal funding of Planned Parenthood Federation of America or its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, or clinics.
United States · United States Congress · 21 December 2022
Federal Reserve Accountability Act of 2022 This bill reduces the number of Federal Reserve districts from 12 to 5, requires Senate confirmation for Federal Reserve bank presidents, and makes other changes to the operation of the Federal Reserve Board and Federal Reserve banks.
United States · United States Congress · 15 December 2022
Focus on the Mission Act of 2022 This bill prohibits the Department of Defense from requiring the recipient of a federal contract to provide a greenhouse gas inventory or to provide any other report on greenhouse gas emissions.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2022
Route 66 National Historic Trail Designation Act This bill amends the National Trails System Act to designate a trail of approximately 2,400 miles extending from Chicago, Illinois, to Santa Monica, California, as the Route 66 National Historic Trail. The trail shall be administered by the Department of the Interior in a manner that respects and maintains its idiosyncratic nature. Interior may not use eminent domain or condemnation in carrying out this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2022
Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act This bill requires manufacturers of internet-connected devices (e.g., smart appliances) that are equipped with a camera or microphone to disclose to consumers prior to purchase that a camera or microphone is part of the device. The bill does not apply to mobile phones, laptops, or other devices that a consumer would reasonably expect to include a camera or microphone.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2022
Restoring Military Focus Act This bill eliminates the position of Chief Diversity Officer within the Department of Defense (DOD), as well as the position of Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion within the military departments. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds to establish similar positions to that of Chief Diversity Officer or Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion within DOD.
United States · United States Congress · 14 November 2022
This bill prohibits the use of federal funds to allow noncitizens to vote in any election in the District of Columbia (DC). Further, DC must certify that it does not allow noncitizens to vote in elections as a condition of receiving any federal funds. Federal law bars noncitizens from voting in federal elections; however, the DC Council passed a bill on October 18, 2022, that allows noncitizens who meet residency and other requirements to vote in local elections.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This concurrent resolution commends the bravery, courage, and resolve of the women and men of Iran who are (1) participating in the current protests to defend their fundamental human rights, and (2) risking their safety to speak out against the human rights abuses committed by the Iranian regime. The resolution condemns (1) the brutal beating and death of Mahsa Amini; and (2) the violent suppression by the Iranian regime of women and men participating in the current demonstrations, including children. The resolution calls for transparent accountability for all killings of protesters by Iranian security forces. Finally, the resolution encourages continued efforts by the Biden Administration to respond to the protests, including the recent sanctioning of the Iranian morality police.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Ending China's Unfair Advantage Act of 2022 This bill prohibits implementation of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer until the agreement is amended to remove China from the list of developing countries .
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act This bill excludes from gross income, for income tax purposes, certain broadband grants made for broadband deployment.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This bill authorizes the Department of State, in coordination with the Department of Commerce, to initiate a U.S. plan to secure Taiwan's meaningful participation in the International Civil Aviation Organization.
United States · United States Congress · 28 September 2022
This resolution condemns the death and detention of Mahsa Amini (an Iranian woman who died in the custody of the Morality Policy of Iran after being detained for purportedly wearing her hijab improperly). It also calls on Iran to end its systemic persecution of women.
United States · United States Congress · 27 September 2022
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4110 Bluebonnet Drive in Stafford, Texas, as the "Leonard Scarcella Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
This resolution honors the life and legacy of the late Robert "Bob" Charles Krueger for his (1) accomplishments as a patriot and as an example for future generations of leaders; and (2) dedication to Texas as a Senator, a member of the House of Representatives, an Ambassador, and a public servant.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
Preventing Underhanded and Nefarious Iranian Supported Homicides Act of 2022 or the PUNISH Act of 2022 This bill extends sanctions and national emergencies related to Iran established by specified executive orders and limits the authority of the President to waive sanctions related to Iran. The bill requires the Department of State to periodically report whether Iran or any foreign person has supported specified activities, including murder or politically motivated detention in Iran of a U.S. citizen.
United States · United States Congress · 22 September 2022
Non-Recognition of Russian Annexation of Ukrainian Territory Act This bill prohibits any federal agency from taking any action or extending any assistance that recognizes or implies recognition of Russia's sovereignty over any internationally recognized territory of Ukraine, including its airspace and territorial waters.
United States · United States Congress · 21 September 2022
Colombia Assistance Used Transparently by Institutionalizing Oversight Now Act of 2022 or the CAUTION Act This bill sets conditions on the provision of civil or military assistance to Colombia.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Project Safe Neighborhoods Reauthorization Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2026 the Project Safe Neighborhoods Block Grant Program within the Department of Justice. The bill also allows funds under the program to be used for hiring crime analysts to assist with violent crime reduction efforts; the cost of overtime for law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and law enforcement assistants who assist with the program; and purchasing, implementing, and using technology to assist with violent crime reduction efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 15 September 2022
Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act This bill makes the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death a first degree murder. An individual who is guilty of first degree murder by distributing fentanyl is subject to death or life in prison.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2022
Strengthening Entry Visa Enforcement and Restrictions Act of 2022 or the SEVER Act of 2022 This bill directs the President to deny an individual's admission to the United States as a representative to the United Nations if the individual is subject to sanctions regarding Iran and may pose a threat to U.S. national security interests.
United States · United States Congress · 14 September 2022
Securing Our Schools Act of 2022 This bill provides funding and resources to (1) strengthen security on school premises, and (2) provide access to student mental health resources. It also generally prohibits the use of federal funding provided by this bill for abortions.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2022
Providing Resources, Officers, and Technology to Eradicate Cyber Threats to Our Children Act of 2022 or the PROTECT Our Children Act of 2022 This bill reauthorizes through FY2024 (1) the National Strategy for Child Exploitation Prevention and Interdiction, and (2) the National Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2022
Military to Mariners Act of 2022 This bill modifies requirements related to U.S. Merchant Marine credentials for veterans and members of the uniformed services. Specifically, the bill requires the U.S. Coast Guard to review and examine all current procedures for issuing credentials for applicants who are veterans and members of the uniformed services seeking to become merchant mariners; provide the availability for a fully internet-based application process for a merchant mariner credential; issue new regulations to reduce the paperwork, delay, and other burdens for applicants for a merchant mariner credential who are veterans and members of the uniformed services and increase the percentages of time equivalent to sea service for such applicants; reduce burdens and create a means of alternative compliance to demonstrate instructor competency for Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers courses; and assess the use of the SkillBridge program of the Department of Defense as a means for transitioning active duty sea service personnel toward employment as a merchant mariner.
United States · United States Congress · 13 September 2022
Taiwan Symbols of Sovereignty (SOS) Act of 2022 This bill directs the Department of State and the Department of Defense to permit representatives from Taiwan's government and armed forces to display Taiwan's flag and military insignia at U.S. government-hosted functions. (The U.S.-Taiwan relationship has been unofficial since 1979, when the United States established diplomatic relations with China and broke them with Taiwan.)
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2022
This bill prohibits the District of Columbia (DC) from using federal or local funds to require that students in elementary or secondary schools receive a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill also nullifies the Coronavirus Immunization of School Students and Early Childhood Workers Regulation Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-85), enacted by the DC Council on January 12, 2022.
United States · United States Congress · 12 September 2022
Simplify Timelines and Assure Regulatory Transparency Act or the START Act This bill sets forth a variety of provisions to expedite the environmental review of energy projects, such as the Mountain Valley Pipeline project.
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