United States · United States Congress · 5 June 2024
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Department of Education titled Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance and published on April 29, 2024. The final rule addresses Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities. Among other elements, the rule establishes certain definitions related to sex-based harassment and establishes additional requirements for grievance procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2024
Agricultural Biotechnology Coordination Act of 2024 This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish the Office of Biotechnology Policy. Among other things, the office must be responsible for the development and coordination of USDA policies, activities, and services related to biotechnology, including (1) research and development; (2) communication, extension, and education; (3) regulation and labeling; and (4) commercialization, use, and trade. In addition, the office must coordinate interagency activities with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food and Drug Administration, other federal agencies, and state agencies.
United States · United States Congress · 23 May 2024
This resolution calls on the people of the United States to observe Memorial Day to honor the men and women who died in the pursuit of freedom and peace.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2024
Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act This bill addresses various programs, benefits, and services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including those related to health care, educational assistance, home loans, homelessness, and disability and memorial affairs. Among other elements, the bill modifies the administration of the Veterans Community Care Program, including by providing protections for care agreements between veterans and clinicians; increases the expenditure cap for non-institutional care alternatives to nursing home care; provides certain support to family caregivers under the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers; modifies the administration of certain educational assistance programs and benefits, including by removing the expiration on a surviving spouse’s entitlement under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship; expands the Native American Direct Loan program by allowing Native American veterans to refinance other existing mortgage loans on the same property if certain conditions are met; requires the VA to provide a burial and funeral allowance for certain veterans who die prior to October 1, 2026, in a home or other setting at which the veteran was receiving VA hospice care (if such care was directly preceded by VA hospital or nursing home care); temporarily increases the maximum rate of per diem payments provided by the VA to entities that furnish services and transitional housing to homeless veterans; authorizes a program to modernize the electronic health record and other relevant health information technology systems of the VA; and addresses various oversight and reporting matters.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2024
Israel Security Assistance Support Act This bill specifies that no federal funds may be used to withhold, halt, reverse, or cancel the delivery of defense articles or defense services to Israel. Also, no funds may be used to pay the salary of any Department of Defense (DOD) or Department of State employee who acts to limit defense deliveries to Israel. Additionally, DOD and the State Department shall ensure prompt delivery of all defense articles and services expected to be delivered to Israel in FY2024 and FY2025. Unobligated funds for operation and maintenance for the Office of the Secretary of Defense, diplomatic programs for the Office of the Secretary of State, and the National Security Council may not be spent until each office certifies to Congress that any withheld defense articles or services are delivered to Israel. DOD and the State Department must obligate any remaining funds for assistance to Israel. DOD and the State Department must periodically report to Congress on defense articles and services provided to Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 14 May 2024
This resolution expresses support for police officers and other law enforcement personnel. The resolution further 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 · 10 May 2024
BIOSECURE Act This bill prohibits entities that receive federal funds from using biotechnology that is from a company associated with a foreign adversary. Specifically, federal agencies and recipients of federal funds (e.g., grantees) may not procure or use any biotechnology equipment or service that is from a biotechnology company of concern and may not contract with any entities that do so. A biotechnology company of concern is an entity that is under the control of a foreign adversary and that poses a risk to national security based on its research or multiomic data collection (e.g., collection of genomic information). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must, in coordination with the Department of Defense (DOD) and other specified agencies, develop a list of prohibited companies; the list must include five particular companies, as specified in the bill. OMB and DOD may approve waivers of these restrictions on an as-needed basis, which are valid for up to one year and may be extended once for an additional 180 days. In addition, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence must report on the national security risks posed by (1) multiomic data collection by foreign adversaries in connection with biotechnology equipment or services, and (2) biotechnology companies that have such data.
United States · United States Congress · 10 May 2024
This resolution designates American Girls in Sports Day. The resolution also calls on sports-governing bodies in the United States and abroad to protect biological women and girls in sports.
United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2024
This joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicles and published by the Environmental Protection Agency on April 18, 2024. The rule established and modified requirements for certain light-duty or medium-duty vehicles (e.g., cars, trucks, and sports utility vehicles that are under a certain weight), including requirements related to (1) emission standards, such as a greenhouse gas emission standard; (2) the durability of batteries for certain electric and hybrid vehicles; and (3) measuring fuel economy.
United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2024
Ammunition Supply Chain Act This bill requires the Department of the Army to report to Congress on the U.S. supply chain for smokeless gunpowder, including nitrocellulose, nitroglycerin, and acid production, essential to ammunition manufacturing.
United States · United States Congress · 22 March 2024
Sultana Steamboat Disaster Commemorative Coin Act of 2024 This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue not more than 100,000 $5 gold coins, 500,000 $1 silver coins, and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins emblematic of the Sultana steamboat explosion that occurred on April 27, 1865, on the Mississippi River. All surcharges received by Treasury from the sale of such coins must be paid to the Sultana Historical Preservation Society Inc. for the purpose of establishing, operating, and maintaining a museum.
United States · United States Congress · 13 March 2024
Balanced Budget and Accounting Act This bill requires the President's annual budget to be a balanced budget in which total outlays do not exceed total receipts during the applicable fiscal year.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2024
Modernizing the Congressional Research Service's Access to Data Act This bill grants the Congressional Research Service (CRS) the authority to secure all forms of records, information, and data directly from the various departments, agencies, and establishments of the executive branch, regulatory agencies, and commissions, as necessary to carry out congressional requests. Such government entities must furnish CRS with such material in a timely manner. CRS must maintain the same level of confidentiality for such material as is required by law of the government entity from which it is obtained. The bill subjects CRS officers and employees to the same statutory penalties for unauthorized disclosure or use of such material as officers or employees of the government entity from which it is obtained.
United States · United States Congress · 8 March 2024
This bill replaces the requirement for the Library of Congress to prepare hardbound versions of the Constitution Annotated and supplements with a requirement for the Library to instead prepare digital versions and publish them online. The new requirement applies to the supplement after the Supreme Court term beginning October 2023 and all subsequent editions.
United States · United States Congress · 7 March 2024
Improving Law Enforcement Officer Safety and Wellness Through Data Act This bill requires the Department of Justice to report on (1) targeted attacks on law enforcement officers, (2) the feasibility of incorporating such attacks into existing crime reporting systems, and (3) the mental health resources that are available to law enforcement officers.
United States · United States Congress · 5 March 2024
Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act This bill prohibits distributing, maintaining, or providing internet hosting services for a foreign adversary controlled application (e.g., TikTok). However, the prohibition does not apply to a covered application that executes a qualified divestiture as determined by the President. Under the bill, a foreign adversary controlled application is directly or indirectly operated by (1) ByteDance, Ltd. or TikTok (including subsidiaries or successors that are controlled by a foreign adversary); or (2) a social media company that is controlled by a foreign adversary and has been determined by the President to present a significant threat to national security. The prohibition does not apply to an application that is primarily used to post product reviews, business reviews, or travel information and reviews. The bill authorizes the Department of Justice to investigate violations of the bill and enforce the bill's provisions. Entities that violate the bill are subject to civil penalties based on the number of users. The bill requires a covered application to provide a user with all available account data (including posts, photos, and videos) at the user's request before the prohibition takes effect. The bill gives the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia exclusive jurisdiction over any challenge to the bill. Further, a challenge to the bill must be brought within 165 days after the bill's enactment date. A challenge to any action, finding, or determination under the bill must be brought with 90 days of the action, finding, or determination.
United States · United States Congress · 23 February 2024
Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act This bill prohibits payment card networks from using merchant codes that distinguish firearms retailers from other retailers. The Department of Justice must enforce this bill and report annually on the resulting investigations and cases.
United States · United States Congress · 20 February 2024
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) titled Importation of Fresh Beef From Paraguay and published on November 14, 2023. The final rule allows for the importation of fresh (chilled or frozen) beef from Paraguay into the United States under certain conditions. The United States prohibits or restricts the importation of certain animals and animal products to prevent the introduction of various animal diseases, including foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). In response to a request from Paraguay to allow the importation of fresh beef from Paraguay into the United States, APHIS conducted a risk analysis. APHIS concluded that fresh beef could be safely imported from Paraguay, provided that certain conditions are met. These conditions include that (1) FMD has not been diagnosed in the exporting region within the previous 12 months; (2) the meat originated from premises where FMD has not been present during the lifetime of any bovines slaughtered for U.S. meat export; and (3) APHIS may periodically conduct on-site evaluations and subsequent inspections of the slaughter facilities, records, and operations.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2024
This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) titled National Performance Management Measures; Assessing Performance of the National Highway System, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Measure and published on December 7, 2023. Under current law, each state must set targets for and report on the progress of performance metrics related to the U.S. surface transportation system. The rule establishes a specific measure for assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with transportation (GHG measure). The rule also requires state departments of transportation and metropolitan planning organizations to establish declining carbon dioxide (CO2) targets for the GHG measure and report to the FHWA on their progress towards achieving these targets.
United States · United States Congress · 7 February 2024
Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act This bill prohibits a credit reporting agency from providing a consumer's credit report to a third party in connection with a residential mortgage transaction unless (1) the third party provides documentation certifying that it has the consumer's consent; or (2) the third party has originated the mortgage, is the current loan servicer, or has a current specified banking relationship with the consumer.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2024
This resolution denounces the energy and federal land policies of the Biden Administration. It also encourages the domestic production of reliable and affordable energy generation sources.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2024
Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024 This bill repeals certain restrictions on the import and export of natural gas under the Natural Gas Act, including requirements for Department of Energy (DOE) approval and related provisions that address free trade agreements. In addition, the bill grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) the exclusive authority to approve or deny applications to authorize the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of facilities (e.g., liquefied natural gas terminals) to export natural gas to foreign countries or import natural gas from foreign countries. (Currently, DOE authorizes the export or import of natural gas, and FERC authorizes related facilities.) In determining whether to approve or deny an application, FERC must deem the exportation or importation of natural gas to be consistent with the public interest.