United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Uranium Miners and Workers Act of 2023 This bill extends and expands eligibility for the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program. This program compensates individuals who were exposed to radiation while employed in uranium mining operations and subsequently developed qualifying medical conditions. Specifically, the bill extends the fund that supports the program for the four years following the enactment of the bill. (The fund currently terminates on June 7, 2024.) It also transfers to the fund a specified amount of unobligated funding appropriated for the COVID-19 response. In addition, the bill expands eligibility for the program in multiple ways. Current law limits eligibility to individuals who were employed between January 1, 1942, and December 31, 1971, as uranium miners, millers, or ore transporters. The bill expands the program by (1) making those employed through December 31, 1978, and those employed as core drillers eligible; and (2) providing compensation for kidney cancers and other chronic kidney diseases to all individuals eligible for the program.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Main Street Tax Certainty Act This bill makes permanent the tax deduction for qualified business income. (Under current law, the deduction expires after December 31, 2025.) Qualified business income is defined as the net amount of qualified items of income, gain, deduction and loss with respect to any trade or business, excluding capital gains or losses, dividends, interest income, or income earned outside the U.S.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Yes In My Backyard Act This bill requires certain Community Development Block Grant program recipients to submit to the Department of Housing and Urban Development information regarding their implementation of certain land-use policies, such as policies for expanding high-density single-family and multifamily zoning.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Gun Owner Registration Information Protection Act This bill prohibits federal funding of, or support for, state databases that list (1) firearms lawfully owned or possessed by individuals, or (2) individuals who lawfully own or possess firearms.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Primacy Certainty Act of 2023 This bill modifies provisions of the underground injection control program established under the Safe Drinking Water Act related to the review of state applications to obtain responsibility for regulating Class VI wells, which are used to store captured carbon. The bill sets forth a process to give states primary enforcement responsibility for such wells if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fails to meet specified deadlines. In addition, the bill prohibits the EPA from conditioning the approval of state applications on the inclusion of provisions that are not included in the applications or not explicitly required by the Safe Drinking Water Act.
United States · United States Congress · 18 May 2023
Disclose Government Censorship Act This bill requires officers and employees of the legislative and executive branches to disclose communications with providers of interactive computer services (e.g., internet service providers) regarding restricting speech. Specifically, executive and legislative branch officers and employees must disclose their communications with a provider or operator of an interactive computer service regarding action to restrict access to material posted by another information content provider. The bill makes exceptions for legitimate law enforcement and national security purposes. The disclosure must be made within seven days of the date on which the communication is made. The bill establishes penalties for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Pilot Butte Power Plant Conveyance Act This bill directs the Bureau of Reclamation to negotiate with the Midvale Irrigation District in Wyoming to enter into an agreement to convey the Pilot Butte Power Plant and its facilities from Reclamation to the irrigation district.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to issue a rule that requires all new motor vehicles to have devices that can access AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment. (AM broadcast stations are often used to deliver emergency alerts and news and entertainment programming; some newer vehicles do not include AM equipment.) Specifically, this bill applies to motor vehicles manufactured in the United States, imported into the United States, or shipped in interstate commerce after the rule's effective date. The DOT rule must require all such vehicles to have devices that can receive signals and play content transmitted by AM broadcast stations or digital audio AM broadcast stations installed as standard equipment. Prior to the effective date of the rule, manufacturers that do not include devices that can access AM broadcast stations as standard equipment must inform purchasers of this fact through clear and conspicuous labeling. DOT may assess civil penalties against any manufacturer that fails to comply with the mandate. The Department of Justice may also bring a civil action to enjoin a violation. Further, the Government Accountability Office must study and report on whether a reliable alternative communication system exists for delivering emergency alerts and consider the (1) cost to drivers and passengers of receiving communications through an alternative system, and (2) cost and time required to develop and implement an alternative.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2023 This bill allows for the reporting of certain positive consumer-credit information to consumer reporting agencies. Specifically, a person or the Department of Housing and Urban Development may report information related to a consumer's performance in making payments either under a lease agreement for a dwelling or pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service. However, information about a consumer's usage of any utility or telecommunications service may be reported only to the extent that the information relates to payment by the consumer for such service or other terms of the provision of that service. Furthermore, an energy-utility firm may not report a consumer's outstanding balance as late if the firm and the consumer have entered into a payment plan and the consumer is meeting the obligations of that plan. Specified provisions that establish civil liability with respect to furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies shall not apply to any violation of the bill. The Government Accountability Office must report on the consumer impact of such reporting.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
Licensing Individual Commercial Exam-takers Now Safely and Efficiently Act of 2023 or the LICENSE Act of 2023 This bill provides statutory authority for waivers of training, testing, and other requirements for commercial driver's licenses (CDLs) that were issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, this bill allows a state or third-party examiner who has maintained a valid CDL test examiner certification and has previously completed a CDL skills test examiner training course to administer the CDL knowledge test, so long as they have completed one unit of the CDL knowledge test training course. The bill also allows a state to administer a driving skills test to any CDL applicant regardless of the applicant's state of domicile or where the applicant received driver training.
United States · United States Congress · 17 May 2023
This resolution designates the week of May 14-May 20, 2023, as National Police Week. The resolution further recognizes law enforcement officers across the United States in the pursuit of preserving safe and secure communities; the need to ensure that such officers have the equipment, training, and resources necessary to protect their health and safety while they are protecting the public; and the law enforcement community for acts of sacrifice and heroism. The resolution expresses condolences and appreciation to the loved ones of each law enforcement officer who has made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Resiliency for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act This bill makes vacant grazing allotments temporarily available to holders of grazing permits or leases after a natural disaster. The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) shall make available to the holder of a grazing permit or lease issued by either Interior or USDA the temporary use of a vacant grazing allotment if one or more grazing allotments covered by the grazing permit or lease of the holder are temporarily unusable because of resource conditions from unforeseen natural events or disasters (including an extreme weather event, drought, wildfire, infestation, or blight). The bill allows investment of amounts in the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The bill allocates income generated by that investment to rangeland improvement projects and enhancing, expanding, or improving access to public lands or National Forest System land to benefit hunting and recreation activities. The bill increases the maximum duration of grazing permits and leases from 10 years to 20 years.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Book Minimum Tax Repeal Act This bill repeals the 15% alternative tax on the financial statement (i.e., book) income of certain corporations. The tax applies to companies that report over $1 billion in profits to their shareholders.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
National American Indian Veterans Charter Act This bill grants a federal charter to the National American Indian Veterans Inc., which is a nonprofit corporation organized in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 11 May 2023
Back the Blue Act of 2023 This bill establishes new criminal offenses for killing, assaulting, and fleeing to avoid prosecution for killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. Additionally, the bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, or firefighter or other first responder; broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms; and limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2023
Wildfire Response Aviation Modernization and Safety Act This bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to promulgate rules to specify that the FAA must allow for the transport of firefighters on board certain aircraft operated on a mission to suppress a wildfire. The FAA must also issue a rule to specify that certain FAA noise standards do not apply to such an operation. Current regulations allow a type certificate for a restricted category aircraft to be used for the aerial dispensing of liquids (e.g., liquids for aerial fire suppression) and exclude from noise requirements certain aircraft that are dispensing fire fighting materials. Restricted category aircraft are prohibited from carrying passengers.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2023
Campus Free Speech Restoration Act This bill addresses expressive activities (e.g., peacefully assembling, distributing literature, or carrying signs) on college campuses. First, the bill generally prohibits a public institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student-aid programs from restricting noncommercial expressive activities in outdoor areas on campus. Further, the bill prohibits a public IHE from receiving federal funds if the Department of Education determines that the public IHE (1) maintains a policy that infringes upon the expressive rights of students; or (2) maintains or enforces time, place, or manner restrictions on expressive activities, except in limited circumstances. In addition, the bill prohibits retaliation against an individual because the individual reported or complained about restrictions on expressive activities or participated in an investigation or hearing. The bill also requires a private IHE that receives federal funds to provide students with its policies related to expressive rights. The bill also establishes a framework for investigating complaints and for IHEs to regain eligibility for federal funds.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2023
This bill designates U.S. Route 20 in the states of Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts as the National Medal of Honor Highway.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2023
Bank Service Company Examination Coordination Act of 2023 This bill requires the coordination of state banking agencies with federal banking agencies in regulating and examining the activities of bank service companies. It also allows for the sharing of information related to examinations and regulations between federal and state agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 May 2023
Make the Migrant Protection Protocols Mandatory Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to remove certain non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) from the United States while such an individual's application for admission is pending. Specifically, if such an individual arrived by land from a foreign country bordering the United States and the individual is not clearly and beyond a doubt entitled to admission into the United States, DOJ must return that individual to that bordering foreign country while the individual's application for admission is pending. (Currently, DOJ may choose to detain such an individual or return the individual to the bordering foreign country while the application for admission is pending.)
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2023
Scaling Community Lenders Act of 2023 This bill allows the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund to provide funds for guarantees, loan loss reserves, or other forms of credit to promote liquidity for Community Development Financial Institutions. The bill also removes matching requirements, establishes eligibility requirements and projects prioritization, and increases the cap on the allowed assistance available to an organization. The bill also allows the Emergency Capital Investment Fund to provide assistance for these purposes.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2023
Revitalizing the Economy by Simplifying Timelines and Assuring Regulatory Transparency Act or the RESTART Act This bill limits, accelerates timelines under, or otherwise modifies several environmental laws. Specifically, it accelerates, coordinates, and limits the environmental review of federal actions under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969. For example, it (1) establishes deadlines for completing any Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), (2) directs agencies to prepare a single environmental document (e.g., EIS), and (3) limits judicial review. The bill also prohibits agencies from using estimates for the social cost of greenhouse gases when taking agency actions if such use may increase the cost of energy or prolong the timeline for taking actions. It also revises the Clean Air Act, including to allow existing facilities to make certain modifications without obtaining new permits under the New Source Review program. The bill also revises the Clean Water Act, including to (1) provide statutory authority for the definition of waters of the United States in the 2020 navigable waters protection rule, and (2) limit the scope of water quality certifications. It also modifies the underground injection control program to accelerate the review of state applications to obtain responsibility under the Safe Drinking Water Act for regulating Class VI wells, which are used to store captured carbon. In addition, the bill accelerates the timelines for the consultation process under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Finally, the bill establishes requirements to expedite the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline.
United States · United States Congress · 4 May 2023
Lifting Our Communities through Advance Liquidity for Infrastructure Act or the LOCAL Infrastructure Act This bill reinstates tax provisions relating to advance refunding bonds. An advance refunding bond is a tax-exempt bond issued by a state or municipality to refinance or consolidate existing bond obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2023
Fire Suppression PFAS Liability Protection Act This bill exempts entities from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) for certain releases of certain perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. Specifically, the bill applies to entities with a fire suppression system installed (or otherwise in use) in accordance with applicable fire codes that uses an aqueous film forming foam that contains PFAS. Under the bill, the exemption only applies if the release of PFAS resulted from the lawful discharge of an aqueous film forming foam in connection with a fire suppression system that conforms to applicable fire codes and is compliant with the most recently approved engineering standards at the time of discharge. Liability for damages or costs associated with the release of certain PFAS must not be precluded if an entity (1) acts with gross negligence or willful misconduct, or (2) continues to use an aqueous film forming foam agent in its fire suppression system five years after the date on which approved engineering standards were updated to no longer require the use of such foam.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2023
Airports PFAS Liability Protection Act This bill exempts airport sponsors from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) for releases of certain perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. A sponsor is (1) a public agency that submits an application for financial assistance to the Department of Transportation (DOT) related to airport development and improvement, and (2) a private owner of a public-use airport that submits an application for financial assistance to DOT for the airport. Under the bill, a sponsor also includes a sponsor of the civilian portion of a joint-use airport or shared-use airport (i.e., airports owned by the government or military). Under the bill, the exemption only applies if the release of PFAS resulted from the use of an aqueous film forming foam and the use was (1) required by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and (2) carried out in accordance with applicable FAA standards and guidance Liability for damages or costs associated with the release of certain PFAS must not be precluded if an entity acts with gross negligence or willful misconduct in the use of an aqueous film forming foam.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2023
Resource Management PFAS Liability Protection Act of 2023 This bill exempts the owner or operator of a solid waste management facility or a facility that processes compost for sale or distribution to the public from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) for releases of certain perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. Specifically, such exemption only applies if the release of a PFAS resulted from (1) the disposal or management of any residuals or byproduct of municipal solid waste in accordance with a permit, (2) the disposal or management of biosolids consistent with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, or (3) the application or processing of compost in accordance with state law. Liability for damages or costs associated with the release of certain PFAS must not be precluded if an entity acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2023
Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act This bill exempts specified water management entities from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) for releases of certain perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. Specifically, the entities covered under the bill are public water systems, publicly or privately owned or operated treatment works, municipalities with a stormwater discharge permit, political subdivisions or special districts of a state that act as a wholesale water agency, and contractors performing the management or disposal activities for such entities. Under the bill, the exemption only applies if a specified entity transports, treats, disposes of, or arranges for the transport, treatment or disposal of PFAS consistent with applicable laws and during and following the conveyance or treatment of water under federal or state law, such as through the management or disposal of biosolids consistent with the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Liability for damages or costs associated with the release of certain PFAS must not be precluded if an entity acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2023
This bill requires the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to withdraw a proposed rule relating to conservation and landscape health and prohibits the BLM from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule or any substantially similar rule.
United States · United States Congress · 3 May 2023
Agriculture PFAS Liability Protection Act of 2023 This bill exempts producers and harvesters of agricultural products from liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA) for the release of certain perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly referred to as PFAS. However, liability for damages or costs associated with the release of certain PFAS must not be precluded if an entity acted with gross negligence or willful misconduct. PFAS are man-made and may have adverse human health effects. A variety of products contain the compounds, such as nonstick cookware or weatherproof clothing.
United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2023
Kids Online Safety Act This bill sets out requirements to protect minors from online harms. The requirements apply to covered platforms, which are applications or services (e.g., social networks) that connect to the internet and are likely to be used by minors. However, the bill exempts internet service providers, email services, educational institutions, and other specified entities from the requirements. Covered platforms must act in the best interest of minors using the applications or services, including by mitigating harms that may arise from that use (e.g., sexual exploitation and online bullying). Additionally, covered platforms must provide (1) minors (or their parents or guardians) with certain safeguards, such as settings that restrict access to minors' personal data; and (2) parents or guardians with tools to supervise minors' use of a platform, such as control of privacy and account settings. Covered platforms must also disclose specified information, including details regarding the use of personalized recommendation systems and targeted advertising; allow parents, guardians, minors, and schools to report certain harms; refrain from facilitating advertising of age-restricted products or services (e.g., tobacco and gambling) to minors; and annually report on foreseeable risks of harm to minors from using the platform. The bill provides for enforcement through the Federal Trade Commission and states. Further, the bill establishes a program to facilitate relevant independent research for noncommercial purposes and a council to advise on implementing the bill. It also requires guidance for market and product research focused on minors and an evaluation of options to verify a user's age.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Wyoming Public Lands Initiative Act of 202 3 This bill designates specified wilderness study areas, special management areas, a National Conservation Area, and other areas in Wyoming. The bill designates the following areas as wilderness and as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System: certain land within the Encampment River Canyon Wilderness Study Area, to be known as the Encampment River Canyon Wilderness; certain land within the Prospect Mountain Wilderness Study Area, to be known as the Prospect Mountain Wilderness; certain land within the Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness Study Area, to be known as the Upper Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness and the Lower Sweetwater Canyon Wilderness; and certain land within the Bobcat Draw Wilderness Study Area, to be known as the Bobcat Draw Wilderness. The bill designates the following special management areas: Bennett Mountains, Black Cat, Sweetwater Rocks, and Cedar Mountain. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) shall divide the land within the Dubois Badlands Wilderness Study Area into the Dubois Motorized Recreation Area and the Dubois Badlands National Conservation Area, separating the two with a fence. The bill designates Fortification Creek, Fraker Mountain, and North Fork as management areas. The proposed BLM rule titled Conservation and Landscape Health or any substantially similar rule shall not apply to the land covered by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act This bill establishes an interagency Federal Work Group on Youth Residential Programs to support and implement best practices regarding the health and safety, care, treatment, and appropriate placement of youth in youth residential programs. The work group must develop recommendations about a national database to aggregate information about processes and outcomes for youth in such programs. The work group also must support the education and training of professional and paraprofessional personnel in fields that service such youth. Further, the Department of Health and Human Services must contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to study and make recommendations about various aspects of federal and state oversight of youth residential programs.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Financial Technology Protection Act of 2023 This bill establishes the Independent Financial Technology Working Group to Combat Terrorism and Illicit Financing. The working group must study and report on terrorist and illicit use of new financial technologies and develop proposals to improve anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Transparency in CFPB Cost-Benefit Analysis Act This bill sets forth information required to be included in a rulemaking made by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Specifically, the CFPB must publish a justification of the proposed rulemaking; a quantitative and qualitative assessment of all anticipated direct and indirect costs and benefits; alternatives to the proposed rulemaking; impacts on small businesses; and any assumptions, data, or studies used in preparing this information.
United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023
Responsible Digital Asset Advertising Act of 2023 This bill sets forth requirements for the advertising of digital assets. Advertisements must not make any false or misleading claims or omit any material fact or qualification. Advertisements must also disclose applicable fees and whether someone was paid for a testimonial. The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission must enforce this bill and may collect fees to offset the cost of supervising these advertisements.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Secure and Fair Enforcement Banking Act of 2023 or the SAFE Banking Act of 2023 This bill provides protections for federally regulated financial institutions that serve state-sanctioned marijuana businesses. Currently, many financial institutions do not provide services to state-sanctioned marijuana businesses due to the federal classification of marijuana as a Schedule I controlled substance. Under the bill, a federal banking regulator may not penalize a depository institution for providing banking services to a state-sanctioned marijuana business. For example, regulators may not terminate or limit the deposit or share insurance of a depository institution solely because the institution provides financial services to a state-sanctioned marijuana business. The bill also prohibits a federal banking regulator from requesting or ordering a depository institution to terminate a customer account unless (1) the regulator has determined that the depository institution is engaging in an unsafe or unsound practice or is violating a law or regulation, and (2) that determination is not based primarily on reputation risk. Additionally, proceeds from a transaction involving activities of a state-sanctioned marijuana business are no longer considered proceeds from unlawful activity. (Financial institutions that handle proceeds from unlawful activity are subject to anti-money laundering laws. Violators of these laws are subject to fines and imprisonment.) Furthermore, a financial institution, insurer, or federal agency may not be held liable or subject to asset forfeiture under federal law for providing a loan, mortgage, or other financial service to a state-sanctioned marijuana business.
United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023
Securing our Border Act This bill addresses issues concerning border security and immigration, including by transferring funds from the Internal Revenue Service to certain border-related projects. Specifically, the bill transfers certain funds previously appropriated for tax enforcement activities (e.g., collecting owed taxes and conducting criminal investigations) to fund (1) nonintrusive inspection systems along the northern border and southwest border of the United States, and (2) the construction of a border wall system along the southwest border. The bill also authorizes the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to pay recruitment, retention, and relocation bonuses, subject to various requirements and limitations. For example, a relocation bonus may not exceed 15% of the agent's annual basic bay and must be conditioned on the agent agreeing to serve for at least three years at the new duty station. The bill also modifies the treatment of non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) arriving by land from a country next to the United States. Specifically, if such an individual is not clearly entitled to admission into the United States, the Department of Justice must (1) return the individual to that neighboring country or a safe third country while removal proceedings are pending, or (2) detain the individual while the individual's asylum application is under consideration. (Current law authorizes DOJ to return the individual to the neighboring country but does not require such action or detention.)
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence Off Fentanyl Act or the FEND Off Fentanyl Act This bill requires or authorizes various actions, including sanctions, targeting foreign persons (individuals and entities) engaged in trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit opioids. This bill requires that the sanctions specified in Executive Order 14059 (relating to sanctions on foreign persons involved in the global illicit drug trade), as well as any amendments to or directives issued pursuant to that executive order before the date of the enactment of this bill, shall remain in effect. The bill also requires the President to impose property-blocking sanctions on any foreign person knowingly involved in (1) significant trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl precursors, or other related opioids by a transnational criminal organization; or (2) significant activities of a transnational criminal organization relating to the trafficking of fentanyl, fentanyl precursors, or other related opioids. The Department of the Treasury is authorized to take certain actions relating to classes of transactions that (1) involve a non-U.S. jurisdiction, and (2) are of primary money laundering concern in connection with illicit opioid trafficking. For such transaction classes, Treasury may require domestic financial institutions to (1) take certain special measures, (2) prohibit certain transmittals of funds, or (3) impose conditions on transmittals of funds. Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network must issue guidance to U.S. financial institutions for filing reports of suspicious transactions related to suspected fentanyl trafficking by transnational criminal organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
Save Local Business Act This bill provides that a person may be considered a joint employer in relation to an employee under federal labor law only if such person directly, actually, and immediately (and not in a limited and routine manner) exercises significant control over the essential terms and conditions of employment. Such control may by demonstrated by hiring and discharging employees, determining individual employee rates of pay and benefits, day-to-day supervision of employees, assigning individual work schedules, positions, and tasks, and administering employee discipline.
United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023
This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor final rule entitled Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States and published on February 28, 2023. This rule makes changes to the methodology used to set adverse effect wage rates for H-2A workers (temporary agricultural workers), including by using Bureau of Labor Statistics wage surveys in certain instances. (Generally, the minimum wage for an H-2A worker is the highest of the adverse effect wage rate, the applicable minimum wage, the prevailing wage for that occupation in that area, or any agreed-upon collective bargaining wage.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act This bill restores an exemption for certain family farms and small businesses under the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The bill applies to the net worth of (1) a family farm on which the family resides, or (2) a small business with not more than 100 full-time or full-time equivalent employees that is owned and controlled by the family. Prior to recent changes made to FAFSA, the net worth of these family farms and small businesses were excluded as assets when calculating a student's financial need to determine federal student aid eligibility. Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, the net worth of these farms and businesses will be treated as an asset and therefore included in the calculation. This bill restores the exemption to exclude such net worth from the calculation.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
This resolution expresses the sense of the Senate that Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas does not have the confidence of the Senate or of the American people to faithfully carry out his duties.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
IRS Accountability and Taxpayer Protection Act This bill modifies procedural rules for the imposition of tax penalties by requiring, among other things, the approval of such penalties to be given in the pre-assessment process when a supervisor or higher level official has the discretion to give or withhold such approval.
United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023
First Step Implementation Act of 2023 This bill makes various changes related to federal sentencing law and requires the Department of Justice (DOJ) to establish procedures to ensure the prompt release and accuracy of employment-related background check records. The bill allows certain reduced mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses to be applied retroactively to offenders who committed their offenses on or before December 21, 2018; permits a court, in certain circumstances, to grant safety valve relief (i.e., impose a sentence without regard to the statutory mandatory minimum penalty for certain drug offenses) for an otherwise eligible defendant who does not meet the requirement pertaining to criminal history; permits a court to reduce a sentence imposed on a defendant convicted as an adult for an offense committed as a juvenile if the defendant has served at least 20 years of the sentence; establishes a process to seal and expunge certain records of juvenile nonviolent offenses; and requires DOJ to establish and enforce procedures to ensure that records exchanged for employment-related background checks are promptly released and accurate.