Fresh Start Act of 2023 This bill allows grants under the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP) to be used to implement a state law that provides for the automatic expungement or sealing of certain criminal records. The NCHIP provides grants to state and tribal governments to enhance the quality, completeness, and accessibility of criminal history record information and ensure the implementation of effective background check systems.
HR 2928, the Responsible Borrower Protection Act of 2023, blocks the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and mortgage enterprises (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) from implementing specific changes to mortgage credit fees announced in January 2023. The bill directly affects mortgage borrowers and lenders by reversing a pricing framework update that would have altered fees for single-family mortgages. It prohibits the FHFA from enforcing the January 2023 pricing changes detailed in FHFA's announcement and related lender letters. The bill clarifies that enterprises may still use risk-based pricing for mortgage fees, but the specific fee adjustments from the 2023 framework are canceled. This is a direct policy change to mortgage fee structures, not a broader reform.
Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Efficiency Act or the WISE Act This bill requires each state to use a certain percentage of funds it receives for capitalization of its clean water state revolving fund for projects to address green infrastructure, water or energy efficiency improvements, or other environmentally innovative activities.
Raise the Age Act of 2023 This bill establishes new restrictions on the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals under 21 years of age. Specifically, this bill makes it unlawful for a licensed gun dealer, importer, manufacturer, or collector to sell or deliver a semiautomatic center-fire rifle or semiautomatic center-fire shotgun that has (or has the capacity to accept) an ammunition feeding device with a capacity of more than five rounds to an individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under age 21. The prohibition does not apply if the individual under age 21 is a full-time law enforcement officer or active-duty member of the Armed Forces. The bill also requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report on the operation of its public access line, including a description of information sharing protocols and recommendations for improving such protocols.
HR 2370, the Access to AEDs Act, authorizes $25 million in federal funding (2024-2028) to help public elementary and secondary schools improve access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and CPR training. The bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants to school districts and partners for developing AED programs, training staff and students, purchasing and maintaining AEDs, and creating cardiac emergency response plans. It specifically targets schools to address sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), which is a leading cause of death among student athletes and youth, with 90% of SCA victims dying without immediate CPR and defibrillation. The law requires grantees to report on their activities and establishes a clearinghouse to collect data on school AED access and costs.
This joint resolution (SJRES 25) seeks congressional disapproval of a specific Department of Labor rule regarding wage rates for H-2A agricultural workers. It targets the rule published in the Federal Register (88 Fed. Reg. 12760) that established a methodology for calculating "Adverse Effect Wage Rates" (AEWR) for temporary H-2A nonimmigrant workers in non-range occupations. If passed, the resolution would block this rule from taking effect, directly affecting agricultural employers who rely on H-2A visas and the workers themselves by preventing the implementation of the new wage calculation method. The resolution does not create new policy but aims to halt an existing rule through the congressional disapproval process under U.S. Code.
HR 2849 creates a tax credit for U.S. manufacturers producing rare earth magnets. The credit offers $20 per kilogram for magnets made with domestically sourced materials, or $30 per kilogram if at least 90% of the rare earth components are produced in the U.S. The credit phases out over time, reducing to 70% in 2033, 35% in 2034-2035, and ending after 2035. To qualify, manufacturers must not use materials from non-allied foreign nations and must produce magnets as part of their regular business operations.
The Child Labor Exploitation Accountability Act requires U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) contractors to annually disclose if they or their subcontractors faced serious labor violations - including child labor violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act - in the past three years. Contractors with such violations must report corrective steps, and those failing to address issues or repeating violations face a five-year ban from USDA contracts (including the year of listing and the next four years). The law mandates annual reports to Congress tracking the number of contractors on the ineligible list and the program's effectiveness. This policy directly affects agricultural businesses and suppliers contracting with the USDA, aiming to enforce labor compliance through financial consequences.
The Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2023 amends the Fair Housing Act to prohibit housing discrimination based on source of income, veteran status, or military status. It defines "source of income" broadly to include housing vouchers, Social Security benefits, child support, and other lawful income sources like savings or gifts. This change directly affects renters using these income types and requires landlords to avoid discrimination. The bill also updates multiple sections of the Fair Housing Act to include these protections and extends the certification period for housing agencies by 40 months.
HR 2826, the Save Local Business Act, clarifies when multiple businesses can be held jointly responsible for labor laws. It amends the National Labor Relations Act and Fair Labor Standards Act to state that a business is only a joint employer if it directly controls key employment terms like hiring, pay, schedules, or discipline for another business's workers. This directly affects franchisors, contractors, and similar business models that might previously have been deemed joint employers under broader interpretations. The bill aims to limit joint employer liability to cases where one business has clear, day-to-day control over essential worker conditions.
HR 1788, the "Goldie’s Act," strengthens USDA enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act. It requires annual inspections of all regulated animal businesses (like dealers, research facilities, and exhibitors) and mandates immediate, humane confiscation of animals suffering due to violations, while prohibiting owners from destroying animals during this process. The bill increases civil penalties to $10,000 per violation, requires hearing panels including veterinarians, and mandates that penalties consider business size and violation severity. It also requires USDA to share violation records with local animal control within 24 hours.
The Military Family Nutrition Act of 2023 amends the Food and Nutrition Act to exclude a military member's basic housing allowance (BAH) from income calculations when determining eligibility for nutrition assistance programs like SNAP. This change directly affects military families who receive BAH as part of their housing benefit but currently have that allowance counted as income, potentially disqualifying them from food assistance. The key provision adds a specific exclusion for BAH paid to or on behalf of uniformed service members under Title 37, U.S. Code. As a result, military families will have their housing costs subtracted from their income for program eligibility, making it easier for them to qualify for nutrition support.
