Housing

Secure Americans from Financial Exploitation (SAFE) Act

United States · United States Congress · 2 May 2023

Secure Americans from Financial Exploitation (SAFE) Act This bill prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) from implementing their January 2023-announced changes to the single-family pricing framework for fees on purchase, rate-term refinance, and cash-out refinance loans. The changes revise the fee charts that provide percentage adjustments based on a borrower's credit score and other factors.

Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 1 May 2023

Original Fair Housing Resolution of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 28 April 2023

Original Fair Housing Resolution of 2023 This resolution expresses support for the goals and values of the 55th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act and for efforts to strengthen housing protections.

Fairness in Borrowing Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023

Fairness in Borrowing Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) from implementing their January 2023-announced changes to the single-family pricing framework for fees on purchase, rate-term refinance, and cash-out refinance loans. The changes revise the fee charts that provide percentage adjustments based on a borrower's credit score and other factors.

Safe Zones Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023

Safe Zones Act of 2023 This bill makes changes to procedures relating to seeking asylum, including by establishing facilities outside of the United States to accept and process refugee applications to the United States. Specifically, the Department of State must establish safe zones that accept applications for asylum from individuals who are nationals of (1) the country where that safe zone is located, or (2) a country next to the country where the safe zone is located. The State Department must establish at least three safe zones along the U.S.-Mexico border and one safe zone in Guatemala. For each safe zone, the State Department must (1) ensure that it is fortified from danger; (2) provide temporary housing for individuals with pending applications; (3) provide adequate meals; and (4) provide access to various services, including medical services. The bill also imposes various requirements related to safe zones, including deadlines for processing applications. The bill expands the definition of asylum officer (i.e., officers who conduct initial credible fear reviews to determine whether an asylum seeker's application may proceed) to include trained and qualified staff as determined by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). (In 2020, a federal court ruled that DHS may not use U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to conduct such interviews.) The bill also requires the hiring of additional border patrol agents and immigration judges.

Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023

Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a grant program for state, tribal, territorial, and local governments; metropolitan planning organizations; and certain nonprofits (or consortia of nonprofits) to carry out activities to mitigate or manage heat in urban areas. Eligible activities under the program include the implementation, construction, or maintenance of tree planting, green roofs, shade structures, cooling centers, and community gardens, as well as outreach to the community and education efforts. HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development must coordinate on the program with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Program Office, and the Forest Service.

Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023

Excess Urban Heat Mitigation Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to establish a grant program for state, tribal, territorial, and local governments; metropolitan planning organizations; and certain nonprofits (or consortia of nonprofits) to carry out activities to mitigate or manage heat in urban areas. Eligible activities under the program include the implementation, construction, or maintenance of tree planting, green roofs, shade structures, cooling centers, and community gardens, as well as outreach to the community and education efforts. HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development must coordinate on the program with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Program Office, and the Forest Service.

Interagency Council on Affordable Housing Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023

Responsible Borrower Protection Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023

Responsible Borrower Protection Act of 2023 This bill prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) from implementing their January 2023-announced changes to the single-family pricing framework for fees on purchase, rate-term refinance, and cash-out refinance loans. The changes revise the fee charts that provide percentage adjustments based on a borrower's credit score and other factors.

Visitable Inclusive Tax credits for Accessible Living (VITAL) Act

United States · United States Congress · 27 April 2023

Visitable Inclusive Tax credits for Accessible Living (VITAL) Act This bill increases the low-income housing tax credit to serve the housing needs of older people and people with disabilities. Specifically, the bill increases state allocations of the credit and credit amounts for projects for assisting households with disabled individuals. The bill requires each state housing finance agency to establish and operate a Resource Center for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program to support new program applicants and recipients. It also establishes a National Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Advisory Council to provide best practice recommendations to state housing finance agencies and other entities relating to affordable housing trends.

BUILDING CONSENSUS TO ADDRESS HOUSING CHALLENGES

United States · United States Senate · 26 April 2023

Fair Housing for Survivors Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023

Farm Workforce Support Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023

Farm Workforce Support Act of 2023 This bill requires the Government Accountability Office to report to Congress on the H-2A (temporary agricultural workers) visa program. The report must examine various issues, including (1) whether U.S. employers are increasingly reliant on the program, (2) any challenges in securing adequate and affordable housing for H-2A workers, and (3) compliance with the employment conditions of the program.

To cancel certain proposed changes to loan level price adjustments by the Federal National Mortgage Association and credit fees charged by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation.

United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023

This bill prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) from implementing their January 2023-announced changes to the single-family pricing framework for fees on purchase, rate-term refinance, and cash-out refinance loans. The changes revise the fee charts that provide percentage adjustments based on a borrower's credit score and other factors.

Fair Housing for Survivors Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 26 April 2023

Dignity in Housing Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023

Dignity in Housing Act of 2023 This bill requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to inspect each public housing project with 100 or more units at least every two years to determine whether the project and units are maintained in compliance with federal standards. Inspections must be performed by HUD employees or designees and may not be performed by officers, employees, or agents of a public housing agency. HUD must make the results of these inspections publicly available online. These inspections are in addition to the annual inspections already required to be conducted by public housing agencies under current law.

Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023

Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act of 2023 This bill establishes a voucher program through which public housing agencies (PHAs) shall offer support services to help families who have children and are unstably housed, live in an area of concentrated poverty, or are at risk of being displaced from an opportunity area for children move to areas with access to high-performing schools or high-quality childcare and early education. The Department of Housing and Urban Development must provide assistance to PHAs on a competitive basis to implement the program. 

Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023

Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023 This bill prohibits discrimination against individuals based on their source of income, veteran status, or military status in the sale or rental of housing and other related real estate transactions and services. 

National Land Bank Network Act

United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023

National Land Bank Network Act This bill requires the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation to contract with a nonprofit that has relevant expertise to establish and operate (1) a membership-based national network to support the formation and operation of land banks, and (2) grant programs to support land banks and communities that are creating new land banks. Land banks are entities designated by one or more state or local governments to acquire, steward, and dispose of vacant, abandoned, or other problem properties in accordance with locally determined priorities and goals.

Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023

Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023 This bill prohibits discrimination against individuals based on their source of income, veteran status, or military status in the sale or rental of housing and other related real estate transactions and services. 

A resolution recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.

United States · United States Congress · 25 April 2023

This resolution calls for the creation of a Green New Deal with the goals of achieving greenhouse gas and toxic emissions reductions needed to stay under 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming; establishing millions of high-wage union jobs and ensuring economic security for all; investing in infrastructure and industry; securing clean air and water, climate and community resiliency, healthy food, access to nature, and a sustainable environment for all; and promoting justice and equality. The resolution calls for accomplishment of these goals through a 10-year national mobilization effort. The resolution also enumerates the goals and projects of the mobilization effort, including building smart power grids (i.e., power grids that enable customers to reduce their power use during peak demand periods); upgrading all existing buildings and constructing new buildings to achieve maximum energy and water efficiency; removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and agricultural sectors; cleaning up existing hazardous waste and abandoned sites; ensuring businesspersons are free from unfair competition; and providing higher education, high-quality health care, and affordable, safe, and adequate housing to all.

Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal.

United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2023

This resolution calls for the creation of a Green New Deal with the goals of achieving greenhouse gas and toxic emissions reductions needed to stay under 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming; establishing millions of high-wage union jobs and ensuring economic security for all; investing in infrastructure and industry; securing clean air and water, climate and community resiliency, healthy food, access to nature, and a sustainable environment for all; and promoting justice and equality. The resolution calls for accomplishment of these goals through a 10-year national mobilization effort. The resolution also enumerates the goals and projects of the mobilization effort, including building smart power grids (i.e., power grids that enable customers to reduce their power use during peak demand periods); upgrading all existing buildings and constructing new buildings to achieve maximum energy and water efficiency; removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and agricultural sectors; cleaning up existing hazardous waste and abandoned sites; ensuring businesspersons are free from unfair competition; and providing higher education, high-quality health care, and affordable, safe, and adequate housing to all.

Train Noise and Vibrations Reduction Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 24 April 2023

Train Noise and Vibrations Reduction Act of 2023 This bill directs the Department of Transportation to develop and submit to Congress a report containing recommendations to reduce train noise and vibrations near homes and estimates of the costs and benefits of such recommendations.

To establish an Office of Colonia Affairs within the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

United States · United States Congress · 20 April 2023

This bill establishes the Office of Colonia Affairs within the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide information and resources about federal programs and funding for colonias. Colonias are economically distressed communities near the U.S.-Mexico border. Under the bill, a community must be determined to be a colonia by USDA on the basis of objective criteria, including the lack of a potable water supply, adequate sewage systems, and decent housing.

Online Privacy Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023

Online Privacy Act of 2023 This bill establishes online privacy rights for personal information, including the contents of personal communications. It also applies requirements for protecting those rights to certain data processors, service providers, and other entities that collect, process, or maintain personal information and transmit it online. The entities covered by the bill must generally permit individuals to oversee and control their personal information, including by allowing them to access, download, and transmit their information; correct inaccurate or incomplete information; request the deletion of their information; and request human reviews of certain automated processes. Further, the bill limits how covered entities may use, retain, and disclose personal information and otherwise requires actions to preserve information privacy. For example, covered entities must (1) notify and obtain consent from individuals before using, retaining, or disclosing their information in most instances; and (2) maintain privacy and information security policies. Additionally, covered entities may not process information for purposes related to employment, housing, and other opportunities in a discriminatory manner. The bill establishes the Digital Privacy Agency to administer the provisions of the bill and transfers certain authorities, employees, and responsibilities related to information privacy from the Federal Communications Commission to the agency. Violations of the bill's requirements may be enforced by the Digital Privacy Agency, states, and individuals. The bill sets out specific guidelines for investigating and adjudicating violations, with violations subject to civil penalties. The bill also requires research and public education on information privacy.

Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 19 April 2023

Civilian Conservation Center Enhancement Act of 202 3 This bill authorizes various activities in connection with Civilian Conservation Centers, which are residential workforce development or training facilities for underserved youth that are operated by the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture (USDA). For example, the bill requires USDA and Interior to offer at Civilian Conservation Centers specialized training programs focused on (1) forestry and rangeland management, (2) wildland firefighting, or (3) any other topic related to the mission of the Forest Service or Interior or the public interest. The bill authorizes USDA and Interior to directly hire qualified individuals who have successfully completed a Civilian Conservation Center training program without regard to certain civil service hiring requirements. Additionally, USDA and Interior must establish a pilot program to expand available housing for wildland firefighters, volunteers, partner crew members, interns, and other agency employees. To carry out the program, USDA and Interior must employ individuals who are enrolled in a training program at a Civilian Conservation Center. USDA also may conduct career and technical training demonstration programs related to natural resource conservation, forestry, or wildland firefighting.   

Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023

Pay Our Coast Guard Parity Act of 2023 This bill provides continuing appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and benefits when there is a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse. Under the bill, a  Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs when (1) a bill providing appropriations for the Coast Guard for a fiscal year has not been enacted before the beginning of that fiscal year, and no joint resolution providing continuing appropriations for the Coast Guard is in effect; and (2) a bill providing appropriations for the Department of Defense (DOD) for the fiscal year has been enacted before the beginning of the fiscal year, or a joint resolution providing continuing appropriation for DOD is in effect.  If a Coast Guard-specific funding lapse occurs, the bill provides appropriations to the Coast Guard for pay and allowances for military members of the Coast Guard who perform active service or inactive-duty training; pay and benefits for certain civilian employees and contract employees; the payment of a death gratuity; payments for travel related to funerals, the dignified transfer of remains, and unit memorial services; and the temporary continuation of the basic allowance for housing for dependents of members of the Coast Guard dying on active duty. The bill generally provides the appropriations to the Coast Guard until the earlier of the enactment of specified Coast Guard appropriations legislation, the termination of the availability of appropriations for DOD, or two weeks after the beginning of the Coast Guard-specific funding lapse. 

Commending the International Criminal Court's issuance of an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Commissioner for Children's Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, for two war crimes related to the forcible deportation of Ukrainian children from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation.

United States · United States Congress · 18 April 2023

This resolution expresses support for the International Criminal Court arrest warrant issued for Vladimir Putin, President of Russia, and Maria Lvova-Belova, Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights, for war crimes related to unlawful deportation of children from occupied areas of Ukraine. Expressing outrage at the actions of Russia in removing children from their homes in occupied Ukraine and forcibly integrating them into Russian society, the resolution calls for Russia to immediately return all deported Ukrainian children back to their homes in Ukraine.

Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 17 April 2023

Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2023 This bill allows tax-exempt charitable or educational organizations to make collegiate housing and infrastructure grants to certain tax-exempt social clubs (e.g., college fraternities and sororities) that apply such grants to their collegiate housing property. A collegiate housing and infrastructure grant is a grant to provide, improve, operate, or maintain collegiate housing property that may involve more than incidental social, recreational, or private purposes. The grant must be for purposes that would be permissible for a dormitory or other residential facility of the college or university with which the collegiate housing property is associated. The grant may not be used to provide physical fitness facilities.

Health Care for Homeless Veterans Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2023

Health Care for Homeless Veterans Act This bill extends authorization through FY2029 for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) program. Under the HCHV program, the VA provides care and services to homeless or seriously mentally ill veterans, including (1) outreach services; (2) care, treatment, and rehabilitative services; and (3) therapeutic transitional housing assistance. The bill also extends authorization through FY2029 for a program under which the VA establishes sites in larger metropolitan areas to provide comprehensive services to homeless veterans. The bill also provides that under the HCHV program, a veteran means a person who served in the active military, naval, air, or space service and was discharged or released from service, excluding those who received a dishonorable discharge or were discharged or dismissed under a general court-martial.

BAH Restoration Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2023

BAH Restoration Act This bill increases the monthly amount of the basic housing allowance for members of the uniformed services inside the United States. Specifically, the monthly amount of allowance for a member must be the amount of the monthly cost of adequate housing in the area, as determined by the Department of Defense, for members of the uniformed services serving in the same pay grade and same dependency status as the member.

Fair Manufactured Housing Lending Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 April 2023

Fair Manufactured Housing Lending Act This bill requires a manufactured or modular home retailer to comply with consumer mortgage protections, including those related to lending origination and conflicts of interest.

Recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect and codify the rights of transgender and nonbinary people under the law and ensure their access to medical care, shelter, safety, and economic security.

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023

This resolution expresses support for implementing a Transgender Bill of Rights that guarantees certain rights for transgender and nonbinary people with respect to public services and accommodations, employment, housing, health care, and other specified areas.

Financial Regulators Transparency Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023

Financial Regulators Transparency Act of 2023 This bill makes certain disclosure and ethics requirements applicable to the Federal Reserve banks and financial regulators and changes the authority and appointment procedure of the inspector general of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The bill applies to Federal Reserve banks Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requirements, congressional FOIA request requirements, and federal records retention requirements. The bill also expands ethics-related congressional FOIA requests to apply to the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Federal Reserve banks, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the National Credit Union Administration, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Finally, the bill requires the inspector general of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The inspector general shall also have authority over the Federal Reserve banks. Under current law, this appointment is made by the chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

A resolution recognizing that it is the duty of the Federal Government to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect and codify the rights of transgender and nonbinary people under the law and ensure their access to medical care, shelter, safety, and economic safety.

United States · United States Congress · 30 March 2023

This resolution expresses support for implementing a Transgender Bill of Rights that guarantees certain rights for transgender and nonbinary people with respect to public services and accommodations, employment, housing, health care, and other specified areas.

To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Programs, Rural Community Facilities Program Account for fiscal year 2024.

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023

This bill limits FY2024 funding for the Rural Housing Service's Rural Community Facilities Program account.

To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for Department of Education, College Housing and Academic Facilities Loans Program for fiscal year 2024.

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023

This bill specifies that no FY2024 funding is authorized to be appropriated or made available for the Department of Education's College Housing and Academic Facilities Loans Program.

To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Programs, Rental Assistance Program for fiscal year 2024.

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023

This bill limits FY2024 funding for the Rural Housing Service's Rental Assistance Program.

To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Programs, Rural Housing Service, Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account for fiscal year 2024.

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023

This bill limits FY2024 funding for the Rural Housing Service's Rural Housing Insurance Fund program account.

To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Programs, Rural Housing Assistance Grants for fiscal year 2024.

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023

This bill limits FY2024 funding for the Rural Housing Service's Rural Housing Assistance Grants.

To provide for a limitation on availability of funds for US Department of Agriculture, Rural Development Programs, Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants for fiscal year 2024.

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023

This bill limits FY2024 funding for the Rural Housing Service's Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants.

Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023

Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2023 This bill allows a state or federal correctional facility to operate a jamming system to interfere with cellphone signals within inmate housing facilities.

Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 29 March 2023

Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2023 This bill allows a state or federal correctional facility to operate a jamming system to interfere with cellphone signals within inmate housing facilities.

DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR 2024

United States · United States House of Representatives · 28 March 2023

Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 28 March 2023

Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act of 2023 This bill expands the Weatherization Assistance Program of the Department of Energy (DOE). The existing program reduces energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes. The bill establishes a Weatherization Readiness Fund from which DOE may distribute funds to states for repairing structural defects or hazards of such homes so that weatherization measures may be installed. In addition, the bill increases the cap on the amount of funding that may be spent on (1) each home for labor, weatherization materials, and related matter; and (2) renewable energy systems in homes. The bill also eliminates a prohibition on providing funding for partially weatherized homes that have received assistance within the past 15 years. Instead, the bill applies this prohibition on fully weatherized homes.

Disaster Survivors Fairness Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2023

Disaster Survivors Fairness Act of 2023 This bill makes changes in the process for seeking and providing assistance following a major disaster. Specifically, the bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish and maintain a web-based interagency electronic information sharing system, to be known as the unified disaster application system, to facilitate the administration of a universal application for direct federal disaster assistance. The President may provide (1) assistance to respond to the disaster-related housing needs of individuals and households who are displaced from their predisaster primary residence that is damaged by a major disaster (currently, such residences must be rendered uninhabitable); and (2) direct assistance for repairs and for cost-effective hazard mitigation measures that reduce threats to life and property or future damage. FEMA may (1) provide funding to a state agency to establish, update, or operate a website to provide information relating to postdisaster recovery funding and resources; and (2) reimburse a state, tribal, or local government for certain costs relating to sheltering emergency response personnel. The bill extends FEMA's authority to implement state-managed housing assistance as a pilot program. FEMA must conduct a study and develop a plan to address the challenges and disparities associated with providing housing assistance to survivors of major disasters or emergencies. The Government Accountability Office must report on (1) assistance issues, including improper and potentially fraudulent federal disaster assistance; and (2) the effectiveness, successes, and challenges of any state-managed housing assistance pilot program and make recommendations on how to improve the provision of assistance.

BARN Act

United States · United States Congress · 24 March 2023

Better Agriculture Resources Now Act or the BARN Act This bill revises the H-2A visa program (temporary agricultural workers), moves administration of the program from the Department of Labor to the Department of Agriculture, and addresses other immigration issues. The bill eliminates a statutory provision calling for the 50% rule, which requires an H-2A employer to hire any qualified U.S. applicants until half of the time period on an H-2A worker's contract has elapsed. The bill also revises requirements for employer-provided housing or housing allowances for H-2A workers, including standards for such accommodations. The employer shall request an inspection to certify that the housing meets the required standards. An employer shall not be required to pay an H-2A worker more than 115% of the federal or applicable state minimum wage, whichever is higher. Non-U.S. nationals ( aliens under federal law) admitted as H-2A workers who overstay their visas are barred from the program for five years. Individuals admitted on the basis of fraud or who commit certain crimes are barred permanently. Employers who knowingly hire H-2A workers who overstay their visas or employers who engage in fraud or misrepresentation shall be barred from the program. The bill also prohibits the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) from providing legal assistance for a non-U.S. national unless (1) the non-U.S. national is present in the United States, and (2) the parties have attempted to mediate in good faith. An H-2A employer is not required to allow an entity receiving LSC funding to enter the employer's property without an appointment with a specific H-2A worker.

TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2024

United States · United States Senate · 23 March 2023

SNAP Benefits Fairness Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023

SNAP Benefits Fairness Act of 2023 This bill repeals the shelter deduction cap for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit, thereby allowing a household to deduct all allowable housing expenses (e.g., rent or mortgage, electricity, and water costs) that exceed 50% of a household's income after other deductions when calculating net income to determine SNAP benefits. Under current law, the shelter deduction is capped (unless at least one household member is an elderly or disabled individual), and the cap is adjusted annually for inflation. In FY2023, the shelter deduction was capped at $624 for households in the contiguous 48 states and the District of Columbia.

Military Family Nutrition Act of 2023

United States · United States Congress · 23 March 2023

Military Family Nutrition Act of 2023 This bill excludes military housing allowances from income when determining eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).