The Freedom from Government Competition Act of 2023 requires federal agencies to obtain most goods and services from private companies through competitive bidding instead of providing them through government operations. Exceptions apply only when the law mandates government provision, for national defense or homeland security, for inherently governmental functions, or when no private source exists. Agencies must conduct competitive analyses to confirm private sector provision offers the best value to taxpayers and submit annual reports to Congress with a 5-year plan to transition commercial activities to private companies. This policy directly affects federal agencies and private sector providers by shifting procurement responsibilities away from government-run services.
HR 2777, the School Meals during School Closures Act, allows schools to continue providing meals during certain closures without following standard meal program rules. It directly affects schools and meal providers by enabling the Secretary to waive requirements under the National School Lunch Act for closures due to strikes (excluding employer lockouts), weather disasters, public health emergencies, unsafe facilities, construction, or other unanticipated events. The key provision creates a new waiver exception (added to Section 12 of the Act) that skips specific regulatory hurdles normally required for meal services during these closures. This change ensures students can still receive meals when schools close unexpectedly for covered reasons.
American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2023 This bill eliminates the five-year amortization requirement for research and experimental expenditures, thus allowing continued expensing of such expenditures in the taxable years in which they are incurred.
HRES 269 is a non-binding resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 30, 2023. It recognizes the federal government's duty to develop and implement a Transgender Bill of Rights to protect transgender and nonbinary people. The resolution outlines key provisions, including ensuring access to gender-affirming medical care, ending discrimination in employment and housing, and improving legal recognition of gender identity on government documents. It also calls for addressing systemic barriers in education, safety, and economic security faced by transgender and nonbinary individuals.
This bill amends key labor laws to strengthen worker protections and clarify union election processes. It requires employers to provide voter lists for union elections with only one employee-chosen contact detail (like email or phone), mandates secret ballot elections for union representation, and restricts union dues from funding non-representational activities without written employee consent for at least 35 days. The bill also clarifies joint employment standards, making it harder for companies to avoid responsibility for workers' pay and conditions, and adds tribal sovereignty protections to labor law definitions. These changes directly affect employers, unions, and employees in collective bargaining contexts.
HR 2715, the Keep Our PACT Act, mandates increased federal funding for two key education programs. It requires specific annual funding levels for Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (which supports high-poverty schools) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), guaranteeing students with disabilities access to a high-quality education. The bill sets mandatory funding amounts that rise each year, with IDEA funding gradually increasing to reach 40% of the national average per-pupil expenditure for students with disabilities by fiscal year 2033. This directly affects school districts receiving Title I funds and states administering IDEA services for students with disabilities. The bill fulfills a prior commitment made under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.
HR 2725, the "Do No Harm Act," amends the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) to clarify that RFRA does not apply when federal laws protect against discrimination or promote equal opportunity. It specifically exempts protections under the Civil Rights Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, workplace benefits like leave, child labor safeguards, and healthcare access from RFRA challenges. The bill also clarifies that RFRA does not block private lawsuits between individuals, applying only to cases involving government entities. This amendment ensures that existing federal civil rights and workplace protections remain enforceable under RFRA.
The Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2023 strengthens the Americans with Disabilities Act's requirement that individuals with disabilities receive long-term services and supports in community settings rather than institutions. It defines "community-based" services to include specific housing options where individuals with disabilities can live independently with maximum control over their lives, including access to integrated housing, employment, and community participation. The bill requires states to develop transition plans to move people from institutional settings to community-based services within 12 years, with measurable annual targets for reducing institutionalization. It establishes enforcement mechanisms through the Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services to ensure compliance with these requirements.
HR 2726, the Small Business Payment for Performance Act of 2023, requires U.S. government agencies to provide small businesses with interim partial payments when they unilaterally change construction contract terms. Specifically, it mandates that agencies pay at least 50% of the estimated additional costs requested by small businesses within the timeframe specified by the contract. The bill also requires small businesses to pass these interim payments to first-tier subcontractors and any lower-tier subcontractors who incurred increased costs due to the contract change. This law applies directly to small business concerns awarded federal construction contracts and takes effect by October 1, 2025, or the start of the next full fiscal year after enactment.
The Puppy Protection Act of 2023 sets new standards for businesses that sell dogs (dealers), directly affecting pet stores and breeders operating under the Animal Welfare Act. It requires specific housing with space allowances based on dog size (e.g., 12-30 square feet per dog), temperature control (45-85°F), clean food twice daily, and daily exercise or socialization with humans/dogs for at least 30 minutes. The bill also mandates annual veterinary exams including dental care, strict breeding limits (e.g., age restrictions, maximum 2 litters in 18 months), and efforts to place retired breeding dogs in homes instead of selling them to other breeders. Regulations must be finalized within 18 months of enactment.
HR 1378, the Veterans’ Appeals Backlog Improvement Act, establishes two new programs to improve staffing at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for processing veterans' appeals. It creates a competitive internship program for ABA-accredited law students to gain experience with the Board of Veterans' Appeals, and a nine-year pilot program to recruit and retain entry-level attorneys through student loan repayment benefits and structured professional development, including mentorship and rotational assignments. The bill requires the VA to report on improving telehearings access within 180 days, including recommendations for reimbursing travel costs and testing new methods for remote hearings. These provisions aim to reduce the appeals backlog by strengthening the VA’s legal workforce, directly affecting VA recruitment and retention of legal professionals.
HJRES 27 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a federal rule that redefined which waterways fall under the Clean Water Act's protections. It targets a rule submitted by the Army Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on January 18, 2023, which aimed to revise the "Waters of the United States" definition. The resolution would formally disapprove this rule under a specific federal procedure (Chapter 8 of Title 5), preventing it from taking effect. This would directly affect how federal agencies regulate pollution and development near water bodies, including wetlands and smaller streams.
