United States · United States Congress · 10 February 2023
Prime Minister Golda Meir 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 commemoration of Golda Meir, former Prime Minister of Israel, and the 75th anniversary of the United States-Israel relationship. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid to the American Friends of Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital Inc.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Make Russia Pay Act This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to liquidate all Russian assets seized by the United States and deposit the resulting funds into a Ukrainian Humanitarian Aid Fund established by the bill. Treasury may use the funds to provide assistance to Ukraine, including by providing funding to Ukraine's government for humanitarian and security assistance.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
Retain Skilled Veterans Act This bill modifies the restriction related to the appointment of retired members of the Armed Forces to certain civil service positions in the Department of Defense. Under the bill, the 180-day waiting period before a retired member may be appointed to a position only applies to those positions in the excepted or competitive service classified at or above GS-14 of the General Schedule (or equivalent).
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
This bill requires the President to provide periodic reports and briefings to Congress on matters related to certain U.S. laws concerning North Korea. Annually, the President must submit a report to Congress relating to (1) arms trafficking involving North Korea, (2) operators of foreign airports and sea ports that fail to inspect cargo to or from North Korea, and (3) cooperation between North Korea and Iran. Twice a year, the President must submit a report regarding persons responsible for activities undermining cybersecurity. The bill also requires the President to provide a briefing to Congress twice a year regarding measures to deny specialized financial messaging services to designated North Korean financial institutions.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status With Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segmen t and published on November 25, 2022. The rule adds the Northern Distinct Population Segment of lesser prairie-chicken to the list of threatened species and the Southern District Population Segment of lesser prairie-chicken to the list of endangered species.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2023
This joint resolution nullifies a Department of Labor rule concerning the fiduciary duties with respect to employee benefit plans. Under the rule issued on December 1, 2022, plan fiduciaries may consider climate change and other environmental, social, and governance factors when they make investment decisions and when they exercise shareholder rights, including voting on shareholder resolutions and board nominations.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2023
Freight Rail Assistance and Investment to Launch Coronavirus-Era Activity and Recovery Act of 2023 or the Freight RAILCAR Act of 2023 This bill provides a new tax credit through 2025 for 10% of freight railcar fleet modernization expenses (i.e., railcar replacement and modernization expenses for meeting fuel efficiency and performance standards). The bill provides that no more than 2,000 freight railcars per taxpayer may be taken into account for purposes of determining the credit in a taxable year. The Department of the Treasury must report to Congress on the credit to provide information on the number of times the credit was claimed and the number of railcars scrapped or built as a result of the credit.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Working Dog Commemorative Coin Act This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue 50,000 $5 gold coins, 500,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins in commemoration of the service that working dogs provide to society. The designs of the coins minted under this bill shall be emblematic of the contributions of working dogs to society, including in detection, military service, therapy, and assistance. Treasury may issue coins only during the one-year period beginning on January 1, 2025. All sales of coins shall include a surcharge, which shall be paid to America's VetDogs for general expenses associated with the fulfillment of its mission.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Revised Definition of "Waters of the United States," which was submitted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency on January 18, 2023. The rule specifies which bodies of water fall under the scope of the Clean Water Act and are thereby under federal jurisdiction. The 2023 rule replaced a 2020 rule that included a narrower definition of waters of the United States .
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Securing American Families from Exploitation at the Border Act or the SAFE Border Act This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a temporary grant program to reimburse landowners for loss or damage to property caused by an individual illegally crossing the southern border or to improve the security of such property. Specifically, FEMA may provide grants to landowners who have experienced (or are at risk of experiencing) property theft or damage in areas within 10 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Protect and Serve Act of 2023 This bill establishes a new criminal offense for knowingly assaulting a law enforcement officer and causing serious bodily injury (or attempting to do so) in circumstances that affect interstate commerce. It imposes criminal penalties—a prison term, a fine, or both—on a violator.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today Act or the SHORT Act This bill removes certain short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, and other weapons from the definition of a firearm for purposes of regulation under the National Firearms Act (NFA). The bill also eliminates certain restrictions that apply to the sale or transportation of such rifles and shotguns in interstate commerce. If a state or local registration or licensing requirement is determined by reference to the NFA, the bill treats persons who acquire or possess a short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or other weapon in accordance with the Gun Control Act of 1968 as meeting the registration and licensing requirements. The bill preempts certain state or local laws that tax or regulate these rifles, shotguns, and weapons. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives must destroy records relating to the registration, transfer, or manufacture of applicable weapons described by this bill within one year after the enactment of this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security Act of 2023 or the PASS Act of 2023 This bill establishes requirements to address the national security risk to the agricultural sector of the United States. Specifically, the bill prohibits persons who are acting on behalf of China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea from purchasing or investing in U.S. agricultural land and companies. The President may waive this prohibition, on a case-by-case basis, if the President determines that the waiver is vital to U.S. national security interests. The bill also places the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and requires CFIUS to review certain transactions involving investments by foreign persons in the U.S. agricultural sector. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture must report on the risks that foreign purchases of U.S. businesses engaged in agriculture pose to the agricultural sector of the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
This resolution supports the goals of National Catholic Schools Week, an event cosponsored by the National Catholic Educational Association and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and established to recognize the contributions of Catholic elementary and secondary schools in the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act This bill expedites payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eligibility for Medicare coverage for those with metastatic breast cancer (i.e., breast cancer that has spread to other sites in the body). Specifically, the bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with metastatic breast cancer. Under current law, individuals generally must wait 5 months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Forgotten Heroes of the Holocaust Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the award of a Congressional Gold Medal to 60 diplomats posthumously in recognition of their brave and vital service of saving Jews during World War II.
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Educational Choice for Children Act This bill allows individuals and corporations a new tax credit after 2023 for charitable contributions to tax-exempt organizations that provide scholarships to elementary and secondary school students. Such students must be members of a household with incomes not greater 300% of the area median gross income and be eligible to enroll in a public elementary or secondary school. The bill excludes from the gross income of taxpayer dependents any scholarship amount for the elementary or secondary education expenses of eligible students. It also prohibits governmental control over scholarship granting organizations.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act This bill places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act. Additionally, the bill establishes a new, alternative registration process for schedule I research that is funded by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Veterans Affairs or that is conducted under an investigative new drug exemption from the Food and Drug Administration. The bill also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances, waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Protecting Families from Fertility Fraud Act of 2023 This bill establishes a new federal criminal offense for knowingly misrepresenting the nature or source of DNA used in assisted reproductive technology or assisted insemination. The term assisted reproductive technology includes any treatment or procedure that involves the handling of human oocytes or embryos, such as in vitro fertilization, gamete intrafallopian transfer, and zygote intrafallopian transfer. The term assisted insemination includes any procedure that involves the handling of sperm including intrauterine insemination. A violation is subject to a fine, a prison term of up to 10 years, or both. Additionally, the bill makes the violation a predicate offense (i.e., an underlying offense) for prosecutions under the federal racketeering statute.
United States · United States Congress · 24 January 2023
Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act This bill eliminates a program administered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that provides incentives for petroleum and natural gas systems to reduce their emissions of methane and other greenhouse gases. It also repeals a charge on methane emissions from specific types of facilities that are required to report their greenhouse gas emissions to the EPA's Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting Program.
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2023
Support And Value Expectant Moms and Babies Act of 2023 or the SAVE Moms and Babies Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from approving any new drug (either as a brand-name drug or a generic) intended to terminate a pregnancy and imposes additional restrictions on such drugs that are already approved. Under the bill, an already-approved drug intended to terminate a pregnancy may be dispensed to a patient only with a prescription. Furthermore, the FDA may not approve any labeling change that would authorize (1) using the drug after 70 days of gestation, or (2) dispensing the drug by any means other than in-person administration by the prescribing health care practitioner. The FDA must also impose additional restrictions on such already-approved drugs, including by (1) requiring the prescribing health care practitioner to receive a special certification, (2) prohibiting the practitioner from also acting as the dispensing pharmacist, and (3) requiring the practitioner to have the ability to provide surgical intervention to the patient. The bill also rescinds any investigational use exemption already granted to such a drug if the bill would have prohibited the FDA from granting the exemption. (Currently, the FDA may grant an exemption to certain market approval requirements if a drug is intended solely for use in safety and effectiveness investigations.)
United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 620 East Pecan Boulevard in McAllen, Texas, as the "Agent Raul H. Gonzalez Jr. Memorial Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2023
Fighting Oppression until the Reign of Castro Ends Act or the FORCE Act This bill prohibits removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism until the President makes the determination that a transition government in Cuba is in power.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2023
Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget and the Council of Economic Advisers to provide an inflation estimate for each executive order that is projected to cause an annual gross budgetary effect of at least $1 billion. The estimate must determine whether the executive order will have no significant impact on inflation, a quantifiable inflationary impact on the Consumer Price Index, or a significant impact on inflation that cannot be quantified at the time the estimate is prepared. The requirement does not apply to executive orders that (1) provide for emergency assistance or relief at the request of any state or local government or an official of the government, or (2) are necessary for national security or the ratification or implementation of international treaty obligations.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2023
American Workforce Empowerment Act This bill allows tax-preferred college savings plans (529 plans) to fund certain postsecondary certificate programs and apprenticeship programs.
United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2023
Stop Environmental Calculations Act of 2023 or the SEC Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring climate-related disclosures that are not material to investors.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2023
Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 20 23 This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking. Specifically, the bill establishes a congressional approval process for a major rule. A major rule may only take effect if Congress approves of the rule. A major rule is a rule that has resulted in or is likely to result in (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises. The bill generally preserves the current congressional review process for a nonmajor rule.
United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2023
Finding Federal Savings Committee Resolution This resolution establishes the House Committee on the Elimination of Nonessential Federal Programs to analyze underperforming or nonessential federal programs and recommend actions to modify or eliminate those programs. The resolution also establishes expedited procedures for legislation reported by the committee to eliminate programs or rescind funding. The committee shall cease to exist at the end of the 120th Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government. The bill eliminates the government pension offset , which in various instances reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own. The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision , which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes. These changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2023.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2023 This bill modifies provisions relating to federal funding for, and health insurance coverage of, abortions. Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions or for health coverage that includes abortions. Such restrictions extend to the use of funds in the budget of the District of Columbia. Additionally, abortions may not be provided in a federal health care facility or by a federal employee. Historically, language has been included in annual appropriations bills for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions—such language is commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment. Similar language is also frequently included in appropriations bills for other federal agencies and the District of Columbia. The bill makes these restrictions permanent and extends the restrictions to all federal funds (rather than specific agencies). The bill's restrictions regarding the use of federal funds do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or where a physical disorder, injury, or illness endangers a woman's life unless an abortion is performed. The Hyde Amendment provides the same exceptions. The bill also prohibits qualified health plans from including coverage for abortions. Currently, qualified health plans may cover abortion, but the portion of the premium attributable to abortion coverage is not eligible for subsidies.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Saving Gig Economy Taxpayers Act This bill modifies requirements for third party settlement organizations to eliminate their reporting requirement with respect to the transactions of their participating payees unless they have earned more than $20,000 on more than 200 separate transactions in an applicable tax period. A third party settlement organization is the central organization that has the contractual obligation to make payments to participating payees (generally, a merchant or business) in a third party payment network. This reverses a provision in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 that lowered the reporting threshold to $600 with no minimum on the number of transactions.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment limiting Representatives to three terms and Senators to two terms. Terms beginning before the ratification of this amendment do not count towards these term limits.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Security First Act This bill reauthorizes the Operation Stonegarden program from FY2024 through FY2027 and addresses other border security issues. (Operation Stonegarden provides grants to enhance the border security capabilities of state, local, and tribal governments.) From FY2024 through FY2027, the money from unreported monetary instruments seized from individuals crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and transferred into the Department of the Treasury general fund shall be made available without further appropriation to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fund Operation Stonegarden. DHS must report to Congress on (1) DHS hiring practices from 2018 to 2021, and (2) whether certain Mexican drug cartels meet the criteria to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. DHS must also periodically report to Congress about the technology needed to secure the U.S.-Mexico land border.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act This bill establishes requirements for the degree of care a health care practitioner must provide in the case of a child born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion. Specifically, a health care practitioner who is present must (1) exercise the same degree of care as would reasonably be provided to any other child born alive at the same gestational age, and (2) ensure the child is immediately admitted to a hospital. Additionally, a health care practitioner or other employee who has knowledge of a failure to comply with the degree-of-care requirements must immediately report such failure to law enforcement. A health care practitioner who fails to provide the required degree of care, or a health care practitioner or other employee who fails to report such failure, is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, up to five years in prison, or both. An individual who intentionally kills or attempts to kill a child born alive is subject to prosecution for murder. The bill bars the criminal prosecution of a mother of a child born alive under this bill and allows her to bring a civil action against a health care practitioner or other employee for violations.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
This concurrent resolution condemns recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches and calls on the current presidential administration to use appropriate law enforcement authorities to support their safety.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
National Digital Reserve Corps Act This bill establishes a National Digital Reserve Corps in the General Services Administration (GSA) to address the digital and cybersecurity needs of executive agencies. The GSA must establish standards for reservist eligibility and must ensure reservists have the necessary resources and security credentials for service. Reservists must agree to serve for three years and for at least 30 days per year as an active reservist, with up to $10,000 in annual compensation; reservists who fail to accept an offered appointment or complete required duties are subject to fines. The GSA may cover the costs of continuing education for reservists to support their service. The Department of Labor must issue regulations that ensure the reemployment, continuation of benefits, and nondiscrimination in reemployment of active reservists. In August 2021, President Joe Biden established the U.S. Digital Corps within the GSA to support the technological needs of executive agencies, including cybersecurity needs. The corps offers entry-level positions through two-year fellowships, with the option to convert to full-time career positions after completion of the fellowship.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Save America’s Valuable Energy Act or the SAVE Act This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to prohibit the sale of petroleum products (e.g., crude oil) from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) to certain entities. Specifically, DOE must prohibit the sale of petroleum products from the SPR to entities headquartered in Russia. Further, DOE must prohibit the sale of petroleum products from the SPR to entities headquartered in countries (Belarus, Burma, China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela) that are subject to certain prohibitions concerning exports of defense articles and services under the Department of State's International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate the carry or possession of concealed firearms across state lines. Specifically, an individual who is eligible to carry a concealed firearm in one state may carry or possess a concealed handgun (other than a machine gun or destructive device) in another state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. It sets forth requirements for the lawful concealed carry across state lines. The bill preempts most state and local laws related to concealed carry and establishes a private right of action for a person adversely affected by interference with a concealed-carry right established by this bill.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination Act or the FIND Act This bill prohibits the federal government from entering into contracts with an entity that discriminates against firearm trade associations or businesses that deal in firearms, ammunition, or related products. Specifically, the bill requires a federal agency to include in each contract for the procurement of goods or services awarded by the agency a clause requiring the prime contractor to certify that it (1) has no policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association; and (2) will not adopt a policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association during the term of the contract. The bill establishes (1) a similar requirement with respect to subcontracts, and (2) penalties for violations. The bill makes such prohibition inapplicable to a contract for the procurement of goods or services that is a sole-source contract.
United States · United States Congress · 9 January 2023
Require Evaluation before Implementing Executive Wishlists Act of 2023 or the REVIEW Act of 202 3 This bill prohibits a final agency rule from taking effect until (1) the agency submits the rule to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), and (2) OIRA makes a determination as to whether the rule is a high-impact rule that may impose an annual cost on the economy of at least $1 billion. In addition, an agency must postpone the effective date of a high-impact rule until the final disposition of all actions seeking judicial review of the rule.
United States · United States Congress · 21 December 2022
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Lesser Prairie-Chicken; Threatened Status With Section 4(d) Rule for the Northern Distinct Population Segment and Endangered Status for the Southern Distinct Population Segmen t and published on November 25, 2022. The rule adds the Northern Distinct Population Segment of lesser prairie-chicken to the list of threatened species and the Southern District Population Segment of lesser prairie-chicken to the list of endangered species.
United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2022
Federal Land Freedom Act This bill sets forth a process that allows a state (including the District of Columbia) to seek to transfer the responsibility of energy development on federal land within its boundaries from the federal government to the state. Federal land does not include land that, as of May 31, 2013, is (1) held for the benefit of an Indian tribe, (2) in the National Park System, (3) in the National Wildlife Refuge System, or (4) in a congressionally designated wilderness area. To qualify for such a transfer of responsibility, a state must have a program that regulates the exploration and development of oil, natural gas, and other forms of energy on its land. The federal responsibility transfers to the state once the state submits to the Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Energy a declaration that it has such a program and that it seeks to transfer the responsibility. Any action taken by a state to lease, permit, or regulate the exploration and development of energy on federal land in lieu of the federal government is not subject to the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Endangered Species Act of 1973, or the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2022
Department of Energy Clean Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 2022 This bill requires the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercial application of clean hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to enable production, distribution, and use of clean hydrogen and to advance the development of related hydrogen infrastructure. Under the bill, DOE must also enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to examine research pathways for hydrogen production processes with net-zero direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2022
National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative Act This bill establishes the National Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Initiative within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to advance relevant technologies and capabilities related to unmanned aircraft systems (or drones). It also requires the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, the Department of Energy, and various other federal agencies to support research, development, and related activities concerning drones. Additionally, the bill (1) limits the Federal Aviation Administration's authority to regulate drones that are flown for research purposes and meet conditions to limit risks to other aircraft; and (2) prohibits the purchase or operation of a drone from China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia, except for research to improve U.S. capabilities to counter drones.
United States · United States Congress · 1 December 2022
This bill prohibits the Department of Defense from paying for or reimbursing (1) any fees or expenses relating to a health care professional gaining a license in a state if the purpose of gaining such license is to provide abortion services, or (2) travel expenses related to abortion services.
United States · United States Congress · 22 November 2022
LNG For Allies Act This bill revises the approval process for applications to export natural gas. Specifically, the bill expedites the approval process for certain U.S. allies, such as Taiwan and Ukraine. However, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may not grant expedited approval for applications to export natural gas to any nation that is (1) designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, or (2) designated by acts of Congress from such expedited approval for reasons of national security.