United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps 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 emblematic of the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and shall only be used for the purposes of supporting the mission of the Marine Corps Heritage Center.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
Northern Border Regional Commission Reauthorization Act of 2023 This bill makes changes to the authorities and programs of regional economic and infrastructure development commissions. Specifically, the bill reauthorizes the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) and establishes and expands NBRC grant programs. The NBRC must establish a state capacity building program to provide grants to commission states (Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont) to better support business retention and expansion in eligible counties and for other specified purposes. Each commission state shall provide to the NBRC an annual work plan that includes the proposed use of the grant. Additionally, the NBRC may make grants for the planning, construction, equipment, and operation of demonstration health, nutrition, and child care projects. Such grants must give special emphasis to projects and activities to address substance use disorders, including opioid and methamphetamine use. The bill authorizes these regional commissions (as part of economic and infrastructure development grants) to (1) design, build, implement, or upgrade transportation or basic public infrastructure or workforce capacity to support the adaptation to and mitigation of climate challenges; and (2) promote the production of housing to meet economic development and workforce needs. Each commission may accept transfers of funds from other federal agencies. Discretionary grants made by a commission to implement significant regional initiatives, to take advantage of special development opportunities, or to respond to emergency economic distress may be made without regard to specified percentage limitations. The bill limits the aggregate amount of discretionary grants.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
Keep Americans Safe Act This bill establishes a new criminal offense for the import, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device (LCAFD). The bill does not prohibit certain conduct with respect to an LCAFD, including the following: importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession related to certain law enforcement efforts, or authorized tests or experiments; importation, sale, transfer, or possession related to securing nuclear materials; and possession by a retired law enforcement officer. The bill permits continued possession of, but prohibits sale or transfer of, a grandfathered LCAFD. Newly manufactured LCAFDs must display serial number identification and the date of manufacture. Additionally, the bill allows a state or local government to use Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program funds to compensate individuals who surrender an LCAFD under a buy-back program.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Child Care Workforce and Facilities Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services to provide states and tribal entities with grants to increase access to licensed child care services. The grants may be used to develop and expand the child care workforce or child care facilities in locations with insufficient available child care. Specifically, grants cover 50% of the cost of programs to support the education and training of caregivers or projects to build, expand, or renovate child care facilities in these areas.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act This bill allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for coverage, under Medicare, of special shoes for diabetic individuals. Under current law, such requirements may be satisfied only by a physician.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Asylum Seeker Work Authorization Act of 2023 This bill provides expedited work authorization to certain asylum applicants, specifically those who (1) entered the United States at a designated port of entry, or (2) have been continuously physically present in the United States since this bill's enactment. Such individuals, if they meet other requirements (e.g., are not in detention and have filed an application for work authorization), shall be eligible to receive work authorization 30 days after filing an asylum application. By contrast, other asylum applicants (e.g., an individual who entered the United States after this bill's enactment at a place other than a designated port of entry) must wait 180 days after filing an asylum application to be eligible for work authorization, as required under current law for all asylum applicants. Furthermore, asylum applicants who meet all the requirements to receive expedited authorization shall be entitled to work authorization. By contrast, other asylum applicants may, but are not entitled to, receive work authorization, as specified under current law for all asylum applicants.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Protecting Access to Medication Abortion Act of 2023 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure that patients may receive mifepristone through prescriptions issued via telehealth and filled by mail. The FDA has approved mifepristone for medication abortions (i.e., a procedure in which prescription drugs are used to terminate a pregnancy). (Mifepristone is subject to a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy, which imposes various safety-related requirements. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the FDA suspended enforcement of a requirement that the drug must be dispensed in person, a requirement in the strategy at the time. In January 2023, the FDA updated the strategy to remove the in-person dispensing requirement.) Under this bill, the FDA must ensure that the strategy for mifepristone (1) does not have an in-person dispensing requirement, (2) allows patients to access prescriptions for mifepristone via telehealth, and (3) authorizes all pharmacies certified to dispense mifepristone to patients to do so via mail.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Disaster Reforestation Act This bill sets forth a special rule for the tax deduction for casualty losses of uncut timber (including pre-merchantable timber). It provides that in losses of any uncut timber from fire, storm, wood-destroying insects or invasive species, severe drought, or from theft, the basis for determining the amount of the deduction for such loss shall not be less than the excess of the appraised value of such timber determined immediately before such loss was sustained, over the salvage value of such timber. To be eligible for the casualty loss deduction, the uncut timber subject to the loss must be reforested not later than the close of the five-year period beginning on the date of the loss.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 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 or control of China. 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 · 31 January 2023
Native American Direct Loan Improvement Act of 2023 This bill revises the Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program, which is administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Under the NADL program, the VA makes loans directly to Native American veterans to purchase, construct, improve, or refinance their homes located on federal trust land. Specifically, the bill expands the NADL program by allowing Native American veterans to refinance other existing mortgage loans on the same property if certain conditions are met. Additionally, the bill requires the VA to conduct additional program outreach by partnering with local service providers (e.g., tribal organizations and nonprofit organizations) to conduct outreach, homebuyer education, housing counseling, and post-purchase education. The bill directs the VA to assign a sufficient number of personnel to carry out the NADL program, including construction and valuation specialists to assist with issues unique to new construction and renovations on trust land. The bill also authorizes the VA to make a loan with a 1% interest rate to a Native community development financial institution to allow the institution to relend loan amounts to qualified Native American veterans residing on federal trust land.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2023 or the JOBS Act of 2023 This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Job Training Federal Pell Grant program. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education to award a job training Pell Grant to a student who does not have a degree; attends an institution of higher education (IHE); is enrolled in a career and technical education program at an IHE that provides 150 to 600 clock hours of instructional time over a period of 8 to 15 weeks and provides training aligned with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors (i.e., job training programs); and meets all other eligibility requirements for a Pell Grant. Additionally, the bill specifies that any period during which a student receives a job training Pell Grant counts toward that student's Pell Grant eligibility period.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Ethan's Law This bill establishes a framework to regulate the storage of firearms on residential premises at the federal, state, and tribal levels. At the federal level, the bill establishes statutory requirements for firearms on residential premises to be safely stored if a minor is likely to gain access without permission or if a resident is ineligible to possess a firearm. An individual who violates the requirements is subject to criminal penalties. A firearm stored in violation of the requirements is subject to seizure and forfeiture. At the state and tribal levels, the bill requires the Department of Justice to award grants to implement functionally identical requirements for the safe storage of firearms.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Expanding Agricultural Exports Act of 2023 This bill expands and extends through FY2029 the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program of the Department of Agriculture.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2023
Elizabeth Dole Home and Community Based Services for Veterans and Caregivers Act of 2023 or the Elizabeth Dole Home Care Act This bill addresses home care and caregiver programs provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Under the bill, the cost of providing noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home care may not exceed the cost that would have been incurred if a veteran had been furnished VA nursing home care, unless the VA determines that a higher cost is in the best interest of the veteran. (Under current law, these expenditures are limited to 65% of the cost.) Among other requirements, the VA must establish a partnership with the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly in certain areas to furnish noninstitutional alternatives to nursing home care; implement various programs (e.g., the Veteran Directed Care program) to expand access to home- and community-based services; provide specified support and benefits to caregivers of certain disabled veterans; implement a pilot program to provide homemaker and home health aide services to veterans who reside in communities with a shortage of home health aides; and ensure the availability of home and community-based services for Native American veterans. For veterans or family caregivers who are discharged from the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, a caregiver support coordinator must provide for a personalized transition to an appropriate program. The Veterans Health Administration must review programs administered through the Office of Geriatric and Extended Care to ensure consistency in program management, eliminate service gaps at the medical center level, and ensure the availability of and access to home and community-based services.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2023
Daniel J. Harvey Jr. and Adam Lambert Improving Servicemember Transition to Reduce Veteran Suicide Act This bill requires the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs to jointly carry out a five-year pilot program to assess the feasibility and advisability of providing certain services and a module comprised of specified elements as part of the pre-separation transition process for members of the Armed Forces for the purpose of reducing the incidence of suicide among veterans.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2023
Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2023 This bill provides continuing appropriations to prevent a government shutdown if any of the appropriations bills for a fiscal year have not been enacted before the fiscal year begins and continuing appropriations are not in effect. The bill also limits official travel, congressional recesses or adjournments, and the consideration of legislation that is unrelated to appropriations after the beginning of a fiscal year if the appropriations process has not been completed.
United States · United States Congress · 30 January 2023
Fred Korematsu Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023 This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously to Fred Korematsu in recognition of his contributions to civil rights, his loyalty and patriotism to the nation, and his dedication to justice and equality.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide grants to states to implement programs that improve outreach and assistance to veterans and their families to ensure that such individuals are fully informed about veterans' benefits and programs. Specifically, the VA may provide grants to states to (1) implement or enhance outreach activities or activities to assist in the development and submittal of claims for veterans, or (2) increase the number of county or tribal veterans service officers in the state. The VA must prioritize awarding grants in areas with a critical shortage of county or tribal veterans service officers, areas with high rates of suicide among veterans, and areas with high rates of referrals to the Veterans Crisis Line.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
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, and 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 · 26 January 2023
Better Care Better Jobs Act This bill establishes programs and provides funds for state Medicaid programs to improve home- and community-based services (HCBS), such as home health care, personal care, case management, and rehabilitative services. Specifically, the bill provides funds for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to award planning grants, develop quality measures, and provide technical assistance to states regarding specified HCBS improvements, particularly with respect to access, utilization, and the associated workforce. The bill also increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for HCBS in states that develop plans and meet specified benchmarks for improvements. The bill also makes permanent (1) the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program (a grant program to help states increase the use of HCBS for long-term care and decrease the use of institutional care), and (2) certain provisions regarding Medicaid eligibility that protect against spousal impoverishment for recipients of HCBS.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Preventive Health Savings Act This bill requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), upon receiving a request from Congress, to determine if proposed legislation would reduce spending outside of the 10-year budget window through the use of preventive health and preventive health services. If CBO determines that the legislation would result in substantial spending reductions from the use of preventive health and preventive health services, a description and estimate of the spending reductions must be included in CBO projections.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
This joint resolution provides that the Equal Rights Amendment, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, was ratified by three-fourths of the states and is therefore a valid constitutional amendment, regardless of any time limit that was in the original proposal. The Equal Rights Amendment was originally proposed to the states in 1972. The original proposal included a deadline for ratification of March 22, 1979; Congress subsequently extended the deadline to June 30, 1982. Although the requisite 38 states have ratified the amendment, three of these states did so after the deadlines, and five states subsequently rescinded their ratifications. The status of the amendment has been the subject of litigation.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
VA Clinician Appreciation, Recruitment, Education, Expansion, and Retention Support (CAREERS) Act of 2023 This bill addresses Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel matters and the training, recruitment, and retention of VA health care employees. Among other requirements, the VA must expand various staff training efforts and programs; comply with certain notification and staffing requirements when a VA medical center director is on detail; prescribe a system of pay for individuals appointed as directors of medical centers and directors of Veterans Integrated Service Networks; and establish a consolidated annual leave account for certain VA employees with restored leave during 2020, 2021, and 2022. The bill also authorizes the VA to waive pay limitations for employees of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) who are performing mission critical work; increases the maximum amount of incentive pay for pharmacist executives; modifies the special pay authority for nurse executives and the administration of pay for VA physicians, podiatrists, optometrists, and dentists; authorizes a waiver of certain licensure requirements for psychologists and mental health counselors in certain circumstances; requires the Inspector General of the VA to study and report on the use of direct hire authority, the contributions made by the use of such authority, and any vulnerabilities or inconsistencies with respect to the use of such authority; includes VA police officers as law enforcement officers for purposes of the federal retirement system; and requires the Government Accountability Office to report on human resources modernization conducted by the VHA.
United States · United States Congress · 23 January 2023
Sunlight for Unaccountable Non-profits (SUN) Act This bill expands the disclosure requirements for certain tax-exempt organizations. This bill requires the annual tax return information for tax-exempt organizations and deferred compensation plans to be made available to the public at no charge and in an open structured data format that is processable by computers, with the information easy to find, access, reuse, and download in bulk. The bill also requires the disclosure of the names and addresses of contributors of $5,000 or more to tax-exempt organizations that participate or intervene in political campaigns on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.
United States · United States Congress · 20 December 2022
Behavioral Intervention Guidelines Act of 2022 This bill requires the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to report on best practices for behavioral and mental health intervention teams that support students who exhibit behaviors interfering with learning or who are at risk of harm to self or others in elementary schools, secondary schools, and institutions of higher education.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2022
This bill permanently prohibits certain federal employees in the intelligence community, after their federal employment, from taking positions serving specified foreign countries.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2022
Streamline Pentagon Budgeting Act of 2022 This bill repeals reporting requirements related to the unfunded priorities of the (1) armed force or forces or combatant command, and (2) the Missile Defense Agency.
United States · United States Congress · 12 December 2022
Stop Russian Government and Oligarchs from Limiting Democracy Act of 2022 or the Stop Russian GOLD Act of 2022 This bill directs the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on foreign individuals or entities that knowingly participate in a significant transaction for the sale, supply, or transfer of gold to or from Russia or the Russian government. The President may also impose visa-blocking sanctions on the foreign individuals subject to these property-blocking sanctions.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2022
This resolution designates December 17, 2022, as National Wreaths Across America Day and honors the Wreaths Across America project, patriotic escort units, the U.S. trucking industry, and the volunteers and donors involved in this tradition. Additionally, the resolution recognizes the service and sacrifices of veterans, members of the Armed Forces, and their families.
United States · United States Congress · 17 November 2022
This resolution (1) recognizes October 2022 as National Principals Month and supports its goals and ideals; and (2) honors the contributions of principals in elementary, middle, and high schools in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2022
Housing for Homeless Students Act of 2022 This bill extends eligibility for the low-income housing tax credit to homeless youth and veterans who are full-time students during a specified time period.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2022
Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act of 2022 This bill expands access to study abroad for U.S. undergraduate students. It revises the Increase and Diversify Education Abroad for U.S. Students program (commonly known as the IDEAS program) and formally renames the program as the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program.
United States · United States Congress · 15 November 2022
Governing Unaccredited Representatives Defrauding VA Benefits Act or the GUARD VA Benefits Act This bill imposes criminal penalties and/or fines on individuals for directly or indirectly soliciting, contracting for, charging, or receiving any unauthorized fee or compensation with respect to the preparation, presentation, or prosecution of any claim for Department of Veterans Affairs benefits. The attempted commission of such offenses is also punishable by fine or imprisonment.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2022
Red Listing Monterey Bay Aquarium Act This bill prohibits federal funds from being appropriated, awarded, or granted to the Monterey Bay Aquarium located in Monterey, California.
United States · United States Congress · 11 October 2022
Relief for Farmers Hit with PFAS Act This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a grant program to help states address contamination by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS, on agricultural land and commercial farms. 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, and (2) technical assistance to states in addressing PFAS contamination.
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
This concurrent resolution commemorates the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972, commonly known as the Clean Water Act.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This resolution designates the week beginning on October 9, 2022, as National Wildlife Refuge Week. The resolution acknowledges the importance of national wildlife refuges for their recreational opportunities and contribution to local economies. Finally, the resolution reaffirms the support of the Senate for wildlife conservation and the National Wildlife Refuge System.
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
FDA Modernization Act 2.0 This bill authorizes the use of certain alternatives to animal testing, including cell-based assays and computer models, to obtain an exemption from the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the safety and effectiveness of a drug. The bill also removes a requirement to use animal studies as part of the process to obtain a license for a biological product that is biosimilar or interchangeable with another biological product.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This resolution designates October 2022 as National Dyslexia Awareness Month and calls on Congress, schools, and educational agencies to recognize that dyslexia has significant educational implications that must be addressed.
United States · United States Congress · 29 September 2022
This bill establishes the China Grand Strategy Commission to develop a consensus on a strategy and whole-of-government approach regarding U.S. relations with China.
![Official portrait of Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/k000383_200.jpg)