United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Managing Active and Reserve Tech Talent Effectively Act of 2023 or the MARTTE Act of 2023 This bill requires the military departments to establish and implement policies related to human capital infrastructure for the purposes of leveraging computer programming capabilities of personnel. Human capital infrastructure means the policies and processes that support development, training, evaluating, and tracking of personnel with specific occupational skills, experiences, and positions (e.g., personnel software). First, the bill sets forth a policy of the Armed Forces to establish human capital infrastructure that allows the military departments to provide the combatant commands a qualified and known occupational standard (i.e., a defined, reviewed, and published standard) with respect to computer programming skills. Second, the bill sets forth a policy of the Armed Forces to utilize human capital infrastructure to bolster the capacity of the reserve components to evaluate, track, and provide the military departments with a qualified and known occupational standard with respect to computer programming occupational areas. With regard to each of the policies established under the bill, each military department must develop, discharge, and implement the policies; establish human capital infrastructure to provide the combatant commands with force capability associated with computer programming, coding, and artificial intelligence skills; and submit to Congress an implementation plan for the policies established in this bill, including an update on the implementation of the policy in budget justification materials from FY2025 and onward until all plan milestones have been met.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
This resolution recognizes the accomplishments and example of Cesar Estrada Chavez. The resolution also encourages the people of the United States to commemorate his legacy and to always remember his rallying cry, "Si, se puede!" (which means "Yes, we can!").
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act This bill establishes that a foreign nongovernmental organization shall not be disqualified from receiving certain U.S. international development assistance solely because the organization provides medical services using non-U.S. government funds if the medical services do not violate the laws of the country in which they are being provided and would not violate United States federal law if provided in the United States. Such foreign organizations shall not be subject to requirements relating to their use of non-U.S. funds for advocacy or lobbying activities, other than those that apply to U.S. nongovernmental organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Modernization Act of 2023 or the CALM Modernization Act of 2023 This bill applies certain requirements for moderating the volume of commercials to video streaming services that are supported by advertisements (e.g., Hulu). It also modifies enforcement of those requirements. Current law requires commercials transmitted via broadcast, cable, and satellite television to have the same average volume as the underlying programming. Under this bill, the Federal Communications Commission must apply through rulemaking similar requirements to ad-supported video streaming services. The bill also modifies enforcement of requirements for moderating the volume of commercials. The commission currently uses a complaint-driven enforcement process. Under this bill, the commission must treat violations of the requirements as violations of the Communications Act of 1934. Additionally, the bill makes rebuttable a presumption that deems a broadcast television station, cable operator, or other multichannel video programming distributor in compliance with the requirements if it appropriately installs and uses certain equipment and software to moderate the volume of commercials. The Government Accountability Office must report on the effectiveness of the requirements, and the commission's enforcement of them, in moderating the volume of commercials.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Safe Equitable Campus Resources and Education Act of 2023 This bill requires the annual campus security report provided by institutions of higher education to current and prospective students and employees to address the needs of individuals with disabilities. Among other requirements, the report and its related materials must (1) be made available free of charge, in a timely manner, and in accessible formats to individuals with disabilities; (2) include current campus policies that ensure that their needs are included in emergency response and evacuation procedures; and (3) include an assurance that campus security personnel and others receive training about working with these individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
End Racial and Religious Profiling Act of 2023 or ERRPA This bill establishes a framework to eliminate racial profiling at the federal, state, and local levels. Specifically, it requires federal law enforcement agencies to maintain policies and procedures to eliminate racial profiling, including training, data collection, and complaint procedures. State, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies must maintain similar policies and procedures as a condition of receiving funds under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program and the Community Oriented Policing Services program. To enforce violations, the bill authorizes civil suits by the Department of Justice and affected individuals.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act This bill prohibits the exclusion of individuals from jury service on the basis of their disability or age. Further, the bill prohibits the disqualification of individuals from jury service who fail to meet certain qualifications (e.g., adequate proficiency in English) on the basis of their disability or infirmity if reasonable accommodations can be made.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Promoting Women in Aviation Act This bill establishes a Women in Aviation Advisory Committee within the Department of Transportation (DOT). The committee must advise DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on matters related to women in the aviation industry and coordinate with the FAA's Federal Women's Program. Membership in the committee must include representatives from major airlines and aerospace companies, nonprofit organizations within the aviation industry, airport operators and employees, aviation and engineering business associations, the Civil Air Patrol, the FAA, educational institutions, and labor organizations. The committee must submit a report annually to Congress, DOT, and the FAA on the committee's findings and conclusions, as well as any recommendations for legislation and administrative actions.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Background Check Completion Act of 2023 This bill prohibits a licensed gun dealer from transferring a firearm to an unlicensed person prior to the completion of a background check. Current law permits a licensed gun dealer to transfer a firearm to an unlicensed person if a submitted background check remains incomplete after three business days.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission Whistleblower Protection Act This bill revises protections for the rights of whistleblowers of nuclear safety violations. Specifically, the bill clarifies that employees of either the Department of Energy (DOE) or the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) may seek civil remedies if their employers discriminate against them for blowing the whistle on nuclear safety violations.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
CHAMPVA Children's Care Protection Act of 2023 This bill provides that a child shall be eligible for medical care under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) until the child's 26th birthday, regardless of the child's marital status.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Assistance for Rural Water Systems Act of 2023 This bill allows the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide grants, zero-interest loans, low-interest loans, loan forgiveness, and loan refinancing to certain rural water, wastewater, or waste disposal facilities. USDA may provide such assistance for (1) ensuring public health, safety, and order; and (2) addressing financial hardships.
United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023
Ally's Act This bill requires private health insurance plans to cover certain hearing devices and systems (e.g., bone-anchored auditory implants) and related items and services. The financial requirements and treatment limitations applicable to such coverage may be no more restrictive than the requirements and limitations for other medical and surgical benefits covered under the plan. Further, a plan may not deny or limit coverage based on the plan's review of the medical necessity of such items or services.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023
Real Emergency Access for Aging and Disability Inclusion for Disasters Act or the REAADI for Disasters Act This bill establishes programs and requirements to assist individuals with disabilities and older adults (age 50 or older) with disaster preparedness. Among other provisions, the bill allows states to contract with centers for independent living to provide services and support to disabled individuals in preparing for hazards; requires the Department of Health and Human Services to award grants to carry out projects of national significance that, among other things, create opportunities for disabled individuals and older adults to directly contribute to disaster preparedness, recovery, and mitigation; modifies and expands the membership of the National Advisory Committee on Individuals with Disabilities and Disasters to ensure that it represents the diversity of the disabled and older adult communities; and establishes the Disability and Disaster Preparedness Advisory Committee to review settlement agreements involving potential violations of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The Government Accountability Office must study the compliance of federal agencies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in expending funds to support disabled individuals and older adults in responding to, recovering from, and mitigating disasters.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023
Gun Violence Prevention Research Act of 2023 This bill authorizes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct or support research on firearms safety or gun violence prevention.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023
Restoring Overtime Pay Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Labor to increase the salary threshold applicable to bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees for purpose of determining eligibility for overtime pay. The bill phases in the increased threshold over which employees are exempt from overtime pay requirements beginning at an annual salary of $45,000 upon the bill's effective date. (The current threshold is generally $35,568.) Beginning in 2028, Labor must annually update the threshold to the 55th percentile (nationally) of weekly earnings for full-time salaried workers. Further, the exemption from overtime pay for bona fide executive, administrative, and professional employees does not apply if at least 20% of an employee's duties are not directly or closely related to the performance of executive or administrative activities. In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics shall publish quarterly on its website data about the weekly earnings of full-time salaried workers by census region.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023
Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to provide competitive grants for projects that provide public parking for commercial motor vehicles and improve the safety of commercial motor vehicle drivers. States, metropolitan planning organizations, tribal governments, and local governments are eligible for these grants. The grants must be used for projects on federal-aid highways or a facility with reasonable access to such a highway or a freight facility. In providing grants, DOT must determine that there is a shortage of commercial motor vehicle parking capacity in the corridor in which the project is located; the eligible entity has consulted with motor carriers, commercial motor vehicle drivers, public safety officials, and private providers of commercial motor vehicle parking regarding the project; the project will likely increase the availability or utilization of commercial motor vehicle parking, facilitate the efficient movement of freight or improve highway safety, traffic congestion, and air quality; and the eligible entity has demonstrated the ability to provide for the maintenance and operation of the facility. To the maximum extent practicable, DOT must select grant projects that maximize the geographic dispersion of new commercial motor vehicle parking capacity across the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023
Equal Access to Abortion Coverage in Health Insurance Act of 2023 or the EACH Act of 202 3 This bill requires federal health care programs (e.g., Medicaid, Medicare, and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)) to provide coverage for abortion services and requires federal facilities to provide access to those services. Currently, coverage for such services under federal programs is generally only available in the case of rape, incest, or life endangerment. Additionally, the bill repeals certain provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that permit states to prohibit coverage of abortion services in plans offered through a health insurance exchange in the state. The bill also permits qualified health plans to use funds attributable to premium tax credits and reduced cost sharing assistance to pay for abortion services. The bill is not subject to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, which generally prohibits the federal government from substantially burdening a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a generally applicable law.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2023
International Human Rights Defense Act of 2023 This bill establishes in the Department of State a permanent Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex) Peoples who shall serve as the principal State Department advisor regarding human rights for LGBTQI+ people and represent the United States in diplomatic matters relevant to the human rights of LGBTQI+ people. The special envoy shall periodically provide Congress with a U.S. global strategy to prevent and respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQI+ people. The State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development may provide assistance to prevent and respond to such activities against LGBTQI+ people. The bill also requires that specified annual country reports on human rights practices include information on criminalization, discrimination, and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2023
This resolution designates March 2023 as National Women's History Month. The resolution also recognizes the celebration of such month as a time to reflect on the contributions that women have made to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023
This resolution congratulates the people of Greece as they celebrate the 202nd anniversary of the independence of Greece. The resolution also (1) expresses support for the principles of democratic governance to which the people of Greece are committed, and (2) commends Greece's support for the people of Ukraine in their fight for freedom against Russian aggression.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023
This resolution designates March 23, 2023, as National Women in Agriculture Day. It also recognizes the important role of women in agriculture as producers, educators, leaders, mentors, and more.
United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023
Loan Forgiveness for Educators Act This bill expands loan forgiveness for educators by revising the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. The program provides loan forgiveness (up to $17,500) for teachers who are highly qualified, teach full-time in a low-income elementary or secondary school or educational service agency, and complete five years of consecutive service. Specifically, the bill renames the program as the Educator Loan Forgiveness Programs. Additionally, the bill expands the program by making additional loan types eligible for benefits under the program (e.g., parent PLUS loans). Further, the bill expands program eligibility to early childhood educators and program directors serving in early childhood education programs and school leaders serving in public high-need schools. The bill requires the Department of Education to make monthly student loan payments on behalf of the educator during qualifying service (i.e., employment as a full-time qualifying educator in a high-need school or an early childhood education program), provide complete loan forgiveness after five years of qualifying service, and take steps to notify borrowers about changes to the program.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2023 This bill extends death and disability benefits under the Public Safety Officers' Benefits Program (PSOB) to certain public safety officers who suffer from exposure-related cancer while on duty and their survivors. The PSOB program provides death, disability, and education benefits to public safety officers who are killed or injured in the line of duty and their survivors. The bill specifies that exposure-related cancer shall be presumed to constitute a personal injury in the line of duty if the public safety officer was exposed to or in contact with heat, radiation, or a carcinogen that is linked to an exposure-related cancer; the officer began serving as an officer not later than 5 years before the date of the diagnosis of an exposure-related cancer and the diagnosis occurred not later than 15 years after the last date of active service; and the exposure-related cancer directly and proximately resulted in the death or permanent and total disability of the officer. The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) must periodically review the definition of exposure-related cance r. It directs the BJA to add additional cancers to the definition under certain circumstances (e.g., a petition process).
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that Canada should not allow construction of a nuclear waste repository within the Great Lakes Basin. It also states that the President and the Department of State should work with Canada to prevent such construction and craft a long-term solution for nuclear waste storage that does not threaten the Great Lakes.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice For All Act This bill establishes several environmental justice requirements, advisory bodies, and programs to address the disproportionate adverse human health or environmental effects of federal laws or programs on communities of color, low-income communities, or tribal and indigenous communities. Specifically, the bill expands Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit federally funded programs, policies, practices, or activities from causing disparate impacts on the basis of race, color, or national origin. Aggrieved persons may seek legal remedy when faced with such discrimination. In addition, the bill directs agencies to follow certain requirements concerning environmental justice, including new environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. Further, it creates a variety of advisory bodies and positions, such as the White House Environmental Justice Interagency Council. Among other things, the council must issue an environmental justice strategy. It also establishes requirements and programs concerning chemicals or toxic ingredients in certain products. For example, the bill (1) requires certain products (e.g., cosmetics) to include a list of ingredients or warnings; and (2) provides grants for research on designing safer alternatives to chemicals in certain consumer, cleaning, toy, or baby products that have an inherent toxicity or that are associated with chronic adverse health effects. Finally, it creates a variety of funding programs, such as a grant program to enhance access to park and recreational opportunities in an urban areas.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
Abortion is Health Care Everywhere Act of 2023 This bill authorizes using certain foreign assistance funds to provide comprehensive reproductive health care services in developing countries, including abortion services, training, and equipment. The bill also removes a statutory prohibition on using such funds in developing countries to (1) pay for abortions performed as a method of family planning, or (2) motivate or coerce any person to practice abortions.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2023
Next Generation Fuels Act of 2023 This bill supports the use of biofuels (e.g., gasoline blended with ethanol) in vehicles, including by establishing a minimum octane standard for gasoline as well as making related biofuel requirements for vehicles, their fuels, and fuel infrastructure.
United States · United States Congress · 21 March 2023
Women's Suffrage National Monument Location Act This bill authorizes the location of a monument on the National Mall to commemorate the women's suffrage movement and the passage of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2023
International Children with Disabilities Protection Act of 2023 This bill establishes the International Children with Disabilities Protection Program in the Department of State. Through the program, the State Department may provide grants to assist organizations of persons with disabilities and family members of children with disabilities in communicating about and advocating for policies that ensure the family inclusion and transition to independent living of children with disabilities. The bill also authorizes the State Department to fund certain nongovernmental organizations to build the capacity to advance policies such as (1) creating rights protection programs for people with disabilities, and (2) promoting the development of advocacy skills and leadership abilities of people with disabilities.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2023
State Firearms Dealer Licensing Enhancement Act This bill authorizes the Department of Justice to award grants to states and tribal governments for the development, implementation, improvement, or evaluation of firearms dealer licensing programs.
United States · United States Congress · 16 March 2023
Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat Act of 2023 or the MONARCH Act of 2023 This bill provides support for the conservation of western monarch butterflies (the monarch butterfly population that overwinters along the coast of California and breeds across California, Arizona, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Utah). Specifically, the bill establishes the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund. The Department of the Interior must use amounts in the fund to provide grants for the conservation of such butterflies and other pollinators within the range of western monarch butterflies. In addition, Interior must enter into an agreement with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to facilitate updating and implementing the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan, which was prepared by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2023
Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023 This bill provides for the award of a single Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the female telephone operators of the Army Signal Corps, commonly known as the Hello Girls , in recognition of their military service, devotion to duty, and 60-year struggle for veterans' benefits and recognition as soldiers.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2023
This resolution condemns China's Hong Kong national security law (officially called The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ) and related human rights abuses. The resolution also (1) supports the people of Hong Kong as they fight to exercise fundamental rights and freedoms; and (2) calls upon the Hong Kong government to drop all sedition and national security law-related charges and free all defendants immediately, including Jimmy Lai and Cardinal Zen.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2023
Comprehensive Access to Resources and Education for Long COVID Act or the CARE for Long COVID Act This bill requires research, education, and other activities to support individuals who have Long COVID or related conditions that may result directly, or indirectly, from COVID-19 infection. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must support a voluntary patient registry to collect information about individuals with Long COVID and related conditions, such as their symptoms, treatments, and demographic characteristics. HHS must coordinate with the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute on the registry. HHS must also conduct or support research along with other agencies on how the U.S. health care system responds to Long COVID and related conditions. This includes research on the effectiveness of treatments and strategies to mitigate disparities in health outcomes. In addition, HHS must (1) educate the public and health care providers about treatments for, conditions associated with, and other aspects of Long COVID and related conditions; and (2) disseminate information and resources on how Long COVID affects rights associated with employment, disability status, and education. Last, the Administration for Community Living must award grants to or enter contracts with states, health care providers, legal services providers, and other eligible entities for expanding access to legal assistance for individuals with Long COVID and related conditions, including assistance with obtaining Social Security and other benefits and accessing medical care and services.
United States · United States Congress · 15 March 2023
Secure Viable Banking Act or the SVB Act This bill increases the oversight of certain nonbank financial companies and bank holding companies by repealing Title IV of the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (P.L. 115-174). (A nonbank financial company is a financial institution without a banking license that may be subject to supervision due to the company's size or risk profile. A bank holding company owns a controlling interest in one or more banks.) Specifically, the bill decreases from $250 billion to $50 billion the asset threshold at which enhanced prudential standards become mandatory, thereby requiring more companies to comply with these standards. These standards include stress testing, leverage limits, liquidity requirements, and resolution plan requirements (i.e., living will requirements). Under current law, the Federal Reserve has the discretion to determine the applicability of these standards to bank holding companies with assets between $100 billion and $250 billion. The bill also expands stress testing by increasing the number of board-run stress test scenarios from two to three; decreasing the asset threshold at which company-run stress tests are required from $250 billion to $10 billion; and requiring company-run stress tests to be performed annually or semiannually, depending on the amount of assets held. The bill also decreases from $50 billion to $10 billion the asset threshold for mandatory risk committees. Finally, the bill revises the supplemental leverage ratio applied to custodial banks and the asset treatment of certain municipal obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2023
America's Call To Improve Opportunities Now for National Service Act or the ACTION for National Service Act This bill reauthorizes and revises various national and community volunteer service programs. Specifically, it (1) renames the Corporation for National and Community Service as the AmeriCorps Administration, converts it from a government corporation into an executive department, and revises its membership, leadership, and authority; (2) reauthorizes programs carried out by the administration; (3) establishes a National Service Foundation to accept and administer gifts on behalf of the administration; (4) generally increases the living allowance amounts for program participants and excludes the amounts from taxable income; and (5) makes the national service educational award amount equal to twice the national average yearly cost for in-state tuition and fees at public, four-year institutions of higher education. Additionally, the bill creates an interagency Civilian Climate Corps, operated by the administration, to conduct service projects addressing climate change.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2023
Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2023 This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid Vapor Pressure (a measure of gasoline's volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season. Specifically, the bill applies the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements that are applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with more than 10% ethanol. This change allows gasoline that is blended with more than 10% ethanol to be sold year round.
United States · United States Congress · 14 March 2023
United States Foreign Service Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 50,000 $5 gold coins, 400,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the United States Foreign Service. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid to the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training to support the collection, curation, and sharing of diplomatic history in the United States via oral history, books, social media, and other means.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
Paycheck Fairness Act This bill addresses wage discrimination on the basis of sex. Specifically, it (1) limits an employer's defense that a pay differential is based on a factor other than sex to only bona fide job-related factors in wage discrimination claims, (2) enhances nonretaliation prohibitions, (3) makes it unlawful to require an employee to sign a contract or waiver prohibiting the employee from disclosing information about the employee's wages, and (4) increases civil penalties for violations of equal pay provisions. Additionally, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs must train EEOC employees and other affected parties on wage discrimination. The bill directs the Department of Labor to (1) establish and carry out a grant program for negotiation skills training for girls and women, (2) conduct studies to eliminate pay disparities between men and women, and (3) make available information on wage discrimination to assist the public in understanding and addressing such discrimination. The bill also establishes the Secretary of Labor's National Award for Pay Equity in the Workplace for an employer who has made a substantial effort to eliminate pay disparities between men and women. Finally, the bill requires the EEOC to issue regulations for collecting from employers compensation and other employment data according to the sex, race, and national origin of employees for use in enforcing laws prohibiting pay discrimination.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
This resolution (1) recognizes Girl Scouts of the United States of America for 111 years of providing girls with a safe, inclusive, all-girl space where they can hone their skills and develop leadership abilities; and (2) congratulates all Girl Scouts who earned the Gold Award in 2022.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
Data Care Act of 20 2 3 This bill imposes various duties on online service providers with respect to their handling of individual-identifying data that can be reasonably linked to a specific user. Specifically, online service providers have a duty to (1) reasonably secure such data from unauthorized access, (2) refrain from using such data in a way that will result in reasonably foreseeable harm to the end user, and (3) not disclose such data to another party unless that party is also bound by the duties established in this bill. The bill authorizes the Federal Trade Commission and specified state officials to take enforcement actions with respect to breaches of such duties.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act This bill denies employers a tax deduction for any expenditures incurred for attempting to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations or labor organization activities, such as elections, labor disputes, and collective actions. The bill requires employers to report on their attempts to influence their employees with respect to labor organizations and their activities.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
HCBS Access Act This bill expands coverage of home- and community-based services (HCBS) under Medicaid. It also establishes programs and requirements to support providers who furnish HCBS. Specifically, the bill requires state Medicaid programs to cover HCBS for individuals who (1) are determined to have a functional impairment that affects daily living and that is expected to last at least 90 days, (2) during the five-year period after the bill is enacted, are already receiving HCBS through Medicaid under a demonstration waiver or other state option, or (3) are under the age of 21 and are otherwise eligible. Covered services include home health care services, private nursing services, homemaking assistance, non-emergency and non-medical transportation, and caregiver support. The bill also requires the Office of Management and Budget to revise the Standard Occupational Classification system so that the occupation of direct support professional (i.e., a professional who provides services for individuals with disabilities) is classified under a separate code as a healthcare support occupation. Additionally, the Administration for Community Living must establish a technical assistance center and award grants to government, nonprofit, educational entities, and relevant employers to support training, recruitment, and retention of direct support professionals. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must study the effects of the bill's implementation on HCBS beneficiaries and the direct care workforce.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a grant program to help states and other entities address contamination by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, on agricultural land and commercial farms. Specifically, the USDA program must provide an eligible government (e.g., a state, territory, or Indian tribe) a grant for purposes that include providing financial assistance to a person whose commercial farm is affected by PFAS contamination; assisting the producers on agricultural land and commercial farms contaminated by PFAS in developing an enterprise budget for alternative production, remediation strategies, transitioning to an alternative revenue stream, or relocating farming operations; expanding the capacity of PFAS testing and data management; and conducting research on soil and water remediation systems and food safety relating to PFAS contamination. At least 30% of the program's total annual funding is set aside for one or more eligible governments with a population of less than 3 million people. The bill also requires USDA to establish a task force to provide (1) advice regarding whether addressing PFAS contamination should be added as an eligible activity for each USDA program, (2) evaluations of necessary actions for farms already enrolled in a USDA program where PFAS is detected, and (3) technical assistance to eligible governments in addressing PFAS contamination.
![Official portrait of Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/d000622_200.jpg)