United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
Traveler's Gun Rights Act This bill broadens the scope of allowable firearms transactions involving active duty service members and their spouses and individuals who do not have a residence in any state. Currently, federal firearms laws generally prohibit a federal firearms licensee (e.g., a gun dealer) from sell or delivering a firearm to an individual whose state of residence is different than the state where the licensee's place of business is located. This bill defines the term state of residence as the state in which an individual is present with an intention of making a home. In the case of an individual who does not have a physical residence in any state, then the term state of residence means the address of the individual's private mailbox or post office box. In the case of a member of the Armed Forces on active duty, or his or her spouse, the term state of residence means (1) the state in which the member's permanent duty station is located, and (2) the state where the member maintains a place of abode from which he or she commutes to the permanent duty station.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act of 2023 or the FAIR Act of 2023 This bill revises federal laws governing civil asset forfeiture. Specifically, the bill makes various changes to the general rules governing civil forfeiture proceedings. Among the changes, the bill requires counsel for an indigent property owner whose primary residence is the subject of a civil forfeiture hearing regardless of whether the owner requests counsel, raises the evidentiary standard from preponderance of the evidence to clear and convincing evidence, and sets forth factors courts must consider in determining whether a forfeiture of property used to facilitate the commission of an offense is excessive. Additionally, the bill eliminates statutory authority for equitable sharing and directs forfeiture proceeds to be deposited into the general fund of the Treasury instead of the Department of Justice (DOJ) Assets Forfeiture Fund. The bill also makes changes with respect to the civil forfeiture of money involved in structuring offenses (i.e., structuring currency transactions to evade currency reporting requirements). Among the changes, the bill specifies an evidentiary standard of knowingly for structuring offenses, and requires a prompt probable cause hearing following the seizure of money involved in a structuring offense. Finally, the bill requires the annual report on deposits into the DOJ Asset Forfeiture Fund to specify deposits from each type of forfeiture and specify which funds were obtained from criminal forfeitures and which were obtained from civil forfeitures.
United States · United States Congress · 9 March 2023
Unauthorized Spending Accountability Act of 2023 This bill establishes a three-year budgetary level reduction schedule for unauthorized programs funded through the annual appropriations process. Under the bill, a budgetary level is an allocation provided to the congressional appropriations committees under Section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 by a congressional budget resolution or a deeming resolution. The schedule applies to programs included in the Congressional Budget Office's annual report listing programs that are funded through the appropriations process and have an authorization of appropriations that has either expired or will expire during the year. For the first year after a program's authorization has expired, the bill requires the budgetary level to be reduced by 10% of the funds appropriated for the program in the expiring fiscal year. The bill then requires reductions of 15% in the second and third years before terminating the program at the end of the third unauthorized year. Programs that are reauthorized during the three-year period are exempt from the budgetary level reductions if the reauthorization contains a sunset provision limiting the authorization of appropriations period to no more than three years. The bill establishes the Spending and Accountability Commission to review all mandatory spending programs and submit to Congress a legislative proposal to establish an authorization cycle for discretionary spending programs. The commission may recommend legislation to replace the budgetary level reductions required by this bill with reductions in mandatory spending. The commission's reauthorization schedule must limit reauthorizations to three years, include the budgetary level reductions established by this bill, and establish a mechanism for replacing the budgetary level reductions with reductions to mandatory spending programs. The House of Representatives must consider the commission's proposal using specified expedited legislative procedures.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2023
Major Richard Star Act This bill provides that combat-disabled uniformed services retirees with fewer than 20 years of creditable service may concurrently receive, without reduction, veterans' disability compensation and retired pay or combat-related special compensation.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2023
No Retaining Every Gun In a System That Restricts Your Rights Act This bill modifies the retention requirements for firearm transaction records of federal firearms licensees (FFLs) that go out of business. Current law generally requires FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This bill removes the requirement for FFLs that go out of business to deliver their firearm transaction records to the ATF. Further, the bill requires the ATF to destroy all out-of-business records it has collected from FFLs.
United States · United States Congress · 1 March 2023
Parents Bill of Rights Act This bill establishes various rights of parents and guardians regarding the elementary or secondary school education of their children. Local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools must comply with the requirements of the bill in order to receive federal education funds. Specifically, the bill requires schools to notify parents and guardians of their rights regarding the education of their children. These rights include the right to review the curriculum of their child's school; know if the state alters its challenging academic standards; meet with each teacher of their child at least twice each school year; review the budget, including all revenues and expenditures, of their child's school; review a list of the books and other reading materials in the library of their child's school; address the school board of the LEA; receive information about violent activity in their child's school; and receive information about any plans to eliminate gifted and talented programs in the child's school. Additionally, the bill directs each LEA to post on a publicly accessible website (or otherwise widely disseminate to the public) the curriculum for each elementary and secondary school grade level. The LEA must also include in its annual report card the overall budget of the LEA and the budget for each elementary and secondary school. The bill also provides for additional family educational and privacy rights, including by prohibiting schools from selling student information for commercial or financial gain.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
Stop CRT Act This bill grants Executive Order 13950 the force and effect of law. That order prohibits federal agencies and contractors from advancing specified policies or training related to race or sex and was revoked by Executive Order 13985 on January 20, 2021.
United States · United States Congress · 28 February 2023
Combating Racist Training in the Military Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Armed Forces and academic institutions of the Department of Defense from promoting specified anti-American and racist theories (e.g., that any race is inherently superior or inferior to any other race). Specifically, the bill prohibits including anti-American and racist theories or materials in curricula, reading lists, seminars, workshops, trainings, or other educational or professional settings in a manner that could appear as sponsorship, approval, or endorsement; contracting with, hiring, or otherwise engaging speakers, consultants, diversity trainers, and other persons for the purpose of advocating anti-American and racist theories; compelling members of the Armed Forces to affirm or profess belief in anti-American and racist theories; and segregating members of the Armed Forces by race in any setting, including educational and training sessions.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2023
Fair and Open Competition Act or the FOCA Act This bill prohibits federal construction contracts or controlling documents for federally supported construction projects from requiring or prohibiting project labor agreements. Such documents also may not discriminate against or give preference to a bidder or contractor who signs or refuses to sign a project labor agreement. An agency may exempt a project from this prohibition to avert an imminent threat to public health or safety or to serve the national security.
United States · United States Congress · 27 February 2023
National Right-to-Work Act This bill repeals those provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act that permit employers to make an agreement with a labor union to require employees to join such union as a condition of employment. Currently, at least 27 states have enacted laws prohibiting employers from compelling employees to become members of a union as a condition of employment.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2023 This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored. The bill modifies these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. In addition, schools currently participating in the program must provide meals that meet certain nutrition requirements; USDA regulations require that the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories. Under the bill, USDA must revise these requirements to increase the allowable average saturated fat content of a meal to account for milk fat included in whole milk.
United States · United States Congress · 21 February 2023
This bill limits when the Department of the Interior or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) may add a species to the endangered or threatened species list and revises the process to list species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Specifically, Interior and NOAA may not add a species to the list if listing the species would cause significant economic harm to any state or locality. In addition, the bill allows Interior and NOAA to prioritize the consideration of petitions to list a species as endangered or threatened other than in the order in which the petitions are received. However, Interior and NOAA may not give general priority to petitions to add species to the list over petitions to remove a species.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1663 East Date Place in San Bernardino, California, as the "Dr. Margaret B. Hill Post Office Building."
United States · United States Congress · 17 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 · 17 February 2023
Eliminating a Quantifiably Unjust Application of the Law Act or the EQUAL Act This bill eliminates the federal sentencing disparity between drug offenses involving crack cocaine and powder cocaine. Currently, different threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine (e.g., 28 grams of crack cocaine and 500 grams of powder cocaine) trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. This bill eliminates the lower quantity thresholds for crack cocaine offenses. Under the bill, the same threshold quantities of crack cocaine and powder cocaine trigger the same statutory criminal penalties. The change applies to future cases and cases pending on the date of enactment. With respect to past cases, the bill authorizes resentencing of a defendant who was convicted or sentenced for a crack cocaine offense before the date of enactment.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
Security And Fairness Enhancement for America Act of 2023 or the SAFE for America Act of 2023 This bill eliminates the diversity immigrant program, which makes immigrant visas available to individuals from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act This bill provides for the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal in commemoration of Shirley Chisholm, in recognition of her activism, independence, and groundbreaking achievements in politics, including election as the first African American woman in Congress.
United States · United States Congress · 17 February 2023
UNRWA Accountability and Transparency Act This bill makes changes to U.S. foreign policy in matters concerning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). For purposes of this policy, the bill defines Palestinian refugee as a person who (1) resided from June 1946 to May 1948 in Mandatory Palestine (a region controlled by Britain until 1948), (2) was personally displaced as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict, and (3) has not accepted citizenship or other permanent adjustment in status in another country. Furthermore, under U.S. policy, derivative refugee status may only extend to the spouse or minor child of such a Palestinian refugee. The bill withholds U.S. funding for the UNRWA unless the Department of State makes certifications concerning the UNRWA's staff, partners, and funding. Specifically, the State Department must certify that neither UNRWA staff and partners nor its funding and facilities are affiliated with terrorism or disseminating certain rhetoric, such as calling for the destruction of Israel or describing Israelis as occupiers or settlers . Additionally, the State Department must certify that the UNRWA is (1) subject to comprehensive independent financial audits, and (2) not affiliated with any financial institutions complicit in money laundering or terror financing. The State Department must also implement a plan to encourage other countries to align their UNRWA-related activities with U.S. policy objectives, including the phaseout of the UNRWA by resettling Palestinian refugees outside of Israel.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
This bill establishes requirements about conducting lease sales of onshore federal land for the development of oil and gas. The Department of the Interior must immediately resume quarterly lease sales as specified by the bill. Each fiscal year, Interior must conduct a minimum of four oil and gas lease sales in each state with land available for oil and gas leasing under mineral leasing law. If a lease sale is canceled, delayed, or deferred, then Interior must conduct a replacement sale. Interior must also conduct a replacement sale if during the original lease sale, no more than 25% of the area offered for leasing receives a bid.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Prohibiting IRS Financial Surveillance Act This bill prohibits the Department of the Treasury from requiring a financial institution to report the transfers into and out of a financial account. This prohibition does not apply to laws or regulations in effect on January 1, 2023.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Protect Farmers from the SEC Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission from requiring the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions related to agricultural products.
United States · United States Congress · 14 February 2023
Audit and Return It Act This bill establishes requirements for auditing and rescinding unobligated funds that were provided to address COVID-19. Specifically, the bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to (1) conduct an audit of specified funds that were provided to address COVID-19, and (2) issue a report listing the unobligated funds that remain available. The bill also requires the unobligated funds to be (1) rescinded on the date the OMB report is issued, and (2) deposited into the Treasury for the sole purpose of deficit reduction. The bill applies to unobligated funds that were provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020; the Families First Coronavirus Response Act; the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act); the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act; Divisions M and N of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021; and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
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 · 10 February 2023
TCJA Permanency Act This bill makes permanent provisions affecting individual and business taxpayers that were enacted in 2017 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and are scheduled to expire at the end of 2025. The bill makes permanent reductions in individual and capital gain tax rates. The bill increases the standard tax deduction for individual taxpayers. It also increases and modifies the child tax credit and raises the contribution base for the tax deduction for charitable contributions. The bill allows additional contributions to ABLE accounts (tax-exempt accounts designed to enable individuals with disabilities to save and pay for disability-related expenses). It exempts from taxation combat zone benefits of members of the Armed Forces serving in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and limits the deduction for moving expenses to active duty members of the Armed Forces. Additionally, the bill expands the types of elementary and secondary school expenses eligible for payment from qualified tuition programs (529 programs); lowers to $750,000 the amount of mortgage debt eligible for an interest expense tax deduction; reinstates after 2024 the exclusion of income from the gross income of student loan borrowers for loan debt discharged due to death or total and permanent disability; makes permanent the limitation on the tax deduction for state and local taxes and denies a deduction for foreign real property taxes; makes permanent the tax deduction of the income of certain pass-through business entities; repeals the tax deduction for personal tax exemptions and the exclusion of employer-provided bicycle commuter fringe benefits; terminates certain miscellaneous itemized tax deductions; doubles the estate and gift tax exemption amount; and makes permanent the increase of the alternative minimum tax exemption amount for individual taxpayers.
United States · United States Congress · 9 February 2023
This bill sets out requirements for wildfire suppression and management activities carried out by the Forest Service. These requirements apply to Forest Service land that (1) has a severe, extreme, or exceptional drought intensity rating; (2) has a National Wildland Fire Preparedness level of 5 (i.e., the highest level of wildland fire activity); or (3) is located in a fireshed ranked in the top 10% of wildfire exposure. Within 24 hours of detecting a wildfire on covered Forest Service land, the service must use all available resources to extinguish the wildfire. Additionally, the service may not inhibit the firefighting activities of state and local agencies that are authorized to respond to wildfires on covered Forest Service land. Further, the service may not initiate a backfire or burnout as part of a fire suppression strategy unless it is ordered by the responsible incident commander or is necessary to protect the health and safety of firefighting personnel. The service must use all available resources to control any initiated fire until it is extinguished. The bill also limits the service's use of prescribed fires (i.e., the controlled application of fire by a team of experts under specified weather conditions to restore health to ecosystems that depend on fire). The service must comply with all applicable laws and regulations concerning prescribed fires and must immediately suppress a prescribed fire that exceeds its prescription.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2023
Federally Integrated Species Health Act or the FISH Act This bill gives the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) the sole authority to protect endangered or threatened species that are anadromous species (species of fish that spawn in fresh or estuarine waters and that migrate to ocean waters) or catadromous species (species of fish that spawn in ocean waters and migrate to fresh or estuarine waters). Currently, the FWS shares this authority with the National Marine Fisheries Service.
United States · United States Congress · 8 February 2023
This resolution condemns Azerbaijan's blockade of the Lachin Corridor to Nagorno-Karabakh (also known as Artsakh). The resolution calls on the U.S. government to work with international partners to deploy observers to explore opportunities for security and peaceful development. The resolution also calls on the President to (1) suspend military and security assistance from the United States to Azerbaijan, and (2) fully enforce a U.S. law prohibiting certain bilateral assistance to Azerbaijan until Azerbaijan takes demonstrable steps to cease all offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
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 · 7 February 2023
This resolution condemns Iranian state-sponsored terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and officials and Iranian dissidents. The resolution also expresses support for the people of Iran who are legitimately defending their rights for freedom against repression and condemns the killing of Iranian protesters by the Iranian regime.
United States · United States Congress · 6 February 2023
This bill redesignates as the Nancy Reagan Memorial Park the Gravelly Point Park located along the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington County, Virginia.
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
Guaranteeing Independent Growth Act or the GIG Act This bill establishes a statutory test for determining if an individual who performs services for another person should be classified as an independent contractor rather than an employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. Specifically, an individual is likely to be considered an independent contractor if the individual providing services exercises substantial control over key aspects of the service and earns profits or incurs losses based on the individual's own initiative or resource management. The Department of Labor may also consider secondary factors when determining if an individual should be classified as an independent contractor, including (1) whether the services require specialized training or skills that are not provided by the recipient of the services, and (2) whether the services are performed on a continuous basis.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
American Music Fairness Act of 2023 This bill establishes that the copyright holder of a sound recording shall have the exclusive right to perform the sound recording through an audio transmission. (Currently, the public performance right only covers performances through a digital audio transmission in certain instances, which means that nonsubscription terrestrial radio stations generally do not have to get a license to publicly perform a copyright-protected sound recording.) Under the bill, a nonsubscription broadcast transmission must have a license to publicly perform such sound recordings. The Copyright Royalty Board must periodically determine the royalty rates for such a license. When determining the rates, the board must base its decision on certain information presented by the parties, including the radio stations' effect on other streams of revenue related to the sound recordings. Terrestrial broadcast stations (and the owners of such stations) that fall below certain revenue thresholds may pay certain flat fees, instead of the board-established rate, for a license to publicly perform copyright-protected sound recordings.
United States · United States Congress · 2 February 2023
Repealing Illegal Freedom and Liberty Excises Act or the RIFLE Act This bill repeals the excise tax on the transfer of firearms. The bill shall not be construed as placing any regulated firearms under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023 This bill generally prohibits school athletic programs from allowing individuals whose biological sex at birth was male to participate in programs that are for women or girls. Specifically, the bill provides that it is a violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 for federally funded education programs or activities to operate, sponsor, or facilitate athletic programs or activities that allow individuals of the male sex to participate in programs or activities that are designated for women or girls. (Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in federally funded education programs or activities, including in public elementary and secondary schools and in colleges and universities.) Under the bill, sex is based on an individual's reproductive biology and genetics at birth. The bill does not prohibit male individuals from training or practicing with programs or activities for women or girls as long as such training or practice does not deprive any female of corresponding opportunities or benefits.
United States · United States Congress · 1 February 2023
Davis-Bacon Repeal Act This bill repeals the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires that the locally prevailing wage rate be paid to various classes of laborers and mechanics working under federally-financed or federally-assisted contracts for construction, alteration, and repair of public buildings or public works. References in any law to a requirement under the Davis-Bacon Act shall be null and void.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Sarah's Law This bill requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain a non-U.S. national ( alien under federal law) who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person. ICE must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which the detained individual was charged or convicted. ICE shall provide the victim, or a relative or guardian of a deceased victim, with information about the detained individual, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.
United States · United States Congress · 31 January 2023
Restoring Military Focus Act This bill eliminates the position of Chief Diversity Officer within the Department of Defense (DOD), as well as the position of Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion within the military departments. Additionally, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds to establish similar positions to that of Chief Diversity Officer or Senior Advisor for Diversity and Inclusion within DOD.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
Mahsa Amini Human rights and Security Accountability Act or the MAHSA Act This bill requires the President to impose property- and visa-blocking sanctions on certain persons (individuals and entities) affiliated with Iran. The President must periodically make determinations about whether certain existing sanctions apply to specified persons and impose the applicable sanctions, including determinations concerning (1) the Supreme Leader of Iran and any official in the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran, (2) the President of Iran and any official in the Office of the President of Iran, and (3) any entity overseen by the Office of the Supreme Leader of Iran which is complicit in supporting human rights abuses or terrorism.
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
Designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 3500 West 6th Street, Suite 103 in Los Angeles, California, as the "Dosan Ahn Chang Ho Post Office."
United States · United States Congress · 27 January 2023
Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act of 2023 This bill bars the Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture from prohibiting or regulating the use of lead ammunition or tackle on federal land or water that is under the jurisdiction of such departments and made available for hunting or fishing. The bill makes exceptions for specified existing regulations and where the applicable department determines that a decline in wildlife population at the specific unit of federal land or water is primarily caused by the use of lead in ammunition or tackle, based on the field data from such unit, and the state approves the regulations.
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
Saving Taxpayers' Money and Paying America's Debt Act This bill rescinds unobligated funds that were provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and requires the funds to be used for the sole purpose of deficit reduction. (The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provided funding to address the impact of COVID-19 on the economy, public health, state and local governments, individuals, and businesses.)
United States · United States Congress · 26 January 2023
Combating Racist Teaching in Schools Act or the CRT Act This bill prohibits federal funds from being awarded to elementary or secondary schools or institutions of higher education that promote certain race-based theories or compel teachers or students to affirm belief in such theories in a manner that discriminates on the basis of race, color, or national origin.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
This bill requires naturally propagated animals (i.e., wild animals) and artificially propagated animals to be treated the same under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Specifically, distinctions between naturally propagated animals and artificially propagated animals may not be made when the federal government makes determinations under the ESA, such as determinations to designate endangered species, threatened species, or critical habitats. In addition, the bill requires the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service to authorize the use of artificial propagation of animals of a species when mitigation is required under the ESA. This bill applies to all endangered or threatened species regardless of when they were listed as endangered or threatened.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Yosemite National Park Equal Access and Fairness Act This bill makes changes with respect to the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas of Yosemite National Park. Specifically, the bill increases rent paid by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for the use of the park from $30,000 to $2 million per year. That amount shall be adjusted annually to reflect increases in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. The commission may not recoup such sums from wholesale water or power customers. The bill allows collected rent to be used by the Department of the Interior for wildfire mitigation activities in the park and other national parks in California. The bill requires the National Park Service to administer the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir and Lake Eleanor Basin areas for public recreation, benefit, and use in a manner that will preserve scenic, historic, scientific, or otherwise important features.
United States · United States Congress · 25 January 2023
Endangered Species Transparency and Reasonableness Act of 2023 This bill revises requirements concerning determinations on whether a species is a threatened or endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) and caps attorney's fees to prevailing parties in ESA citizen suits. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) must publish online, subject to privacy or administrative limitations, the best scientific and commercial data available that are the basis for each determination. The bill states that the term best scientific and commercial data available includes all data submitted by a state, tribal, or county government. Thus, the USFWS and NMFS would no longer consider whether data from those sources are the best scientific and commercial data available. Instead, the data would be automatically deemed the best scientific and commercial data available regardless of the quality of the data. Before making a determination on whether a species is an endangered or threatened species, the USFWS and NMFS must provide affected states with all of the data that is the basis of the determination. The Department of the Interior must also publish and maintain an online searchable database that discloses federal expenditures related to litigation under the ESA.
![Official portrait of Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-5]](https://www.congress.gov/img/member/m001177_200.jpg)