This bill (S 1314) changes the definition of "spouse" and "surviving spouse" under veterans' benefits law to remove gender restrictions. It ensures that all individuals lawfully married to a veteran - regardless of gender, including same-sex marriages - are recognized for VA benefits like survivor pensions. The bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to update all relevant regulations to reflect this change. It directly affects veterans and their spouses in same-sex marriages who were previously excluded from certain benefits due to outdated definitions.
The Election Worker Protection Act of 2023 provides federal grants to states for recruiting and training election workers (including poll workers and election volunteers) with specific requirements for cultural competence and diversity in recruitment efforts. It also funds physical security services and social media threat monitoring for election workers to protect them from threats. The bill establishes new criminal penalties for intimidating, threatening, or harassing election workers while they perform their duties, and creates a grant program to help protect election workers' personally identifiable information from public disclosure. These provisions apply to workers involved in federal elections and require states to submit reports on how the funds are used.
S 1290, the Supreme Court Code of Conduct Act, requires the U.S. Supreme Court to create and publish a formal code of conduct for the Chief Justice and all justices within one year of the bill becoming law. The code must address conduct prejudicial to justice or violating federal law, and the Court must designate a person to handle public complaints about potential violations. This individual will publish anonymized complaint summaries and actions taken on the Court's website, while the Court's Marshal may use federal investigators to probe serious allegations. The bill directly affects Supreme Court justices and the Court's internal processes, establishing new transparency and accountability mechanisms for their conduct.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. Current law also provides for an additional increase of up to 200 positions for FY2026, with at least 100 of these positions for psychiatry or related specialties; each hospital may receive up to 10 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2025-FY2031; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.
This bill authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint three commemorative coins in 2026 to honor Golda Meir (Israel’s first female Prime Minister) and mark the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Israel relations. It specifies $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar coins bearing her image and inscriptions like "Golda Meir, Israel 75, 2026," with surcharges of $35, $10, and $5 per coin respectively. All surcharge revenue will fund Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital in Israel, while the coins - minted only in 2026 - will be sold as collectibles with no net cost to the U.S. government.
This bill strengthens penalties for individuals or organizations charging veterans unauthorized fees when assisting with VA benefit claims. It directly affects veterans who might be targeted by unscrupulous representatives and the representatives themselves who attempt to charge such fees. The key provision adds a new subsection (b) to Section 5905, making it illegal to solicit, charge, or receive any fee for preparing or submitting VA claims - except as allowed under specific other sections. Violations can result in fines, up to one year in prison, or both.
The Caring for Survivors Act of 2023 (S 414) increases monthly payments for surviving spouses of veterans. It changes how dependency and indemnity compensation is calculated, replacing a fixed amount with 55% of another veterans' compensation rate, and ensures survivors whose veterans died before January 1, 1993, receive the higher of the old or new payment amount. The bill also modifies rules for survivors of veterans who were totally disabled at death, reducing the required continuous disability rating period from 10 to 5 years, with payments adjusted proportionally for shorter periods. These changes directly affect surviving spouses of veterans, particularly those with veterans who died prior to 1993 or who had shorter disability ratings before death. The bill takes effect six months after enactment.
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct research on how cannabis affects veterans with chronic pain or PTSD. It mandates an 18-month observational study (using existing VA health records and surveys) to compare health outcomes - like pain levels, opioid use, mental health, and sleep - between veterans who use cannabis and those who don’t. If the study supports it, the VA could later run clinical trials on cannabis use for these conditions. The research directly involves VA-enrolled veterans with chronic pain or PTSD, but does not change access to cannabis or VA benefits.
Performing Artist Tax Parity Act of 2023 This bill modifies the above-the-line tax deduction for the expenses of performing artists (including commissions paid to managers or agents) to provide for a phaseout of such deduction for taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds $100,000 ($200,000 for joint return filers). The $100,000 phaseout threshold is adjusted for inflation annually for taxable years beginning after 2023.
The Right to Read Act of 2023 defines an "effective school library" as one with certified librarians, adequate resources, and support for digital and information literacy. It requires states and school districts to ensure all students, particularly those in under-resourced schools, have access to such libraries through new reporting requirements and funding mechanisms. The bill provides $500 million annually for literacy programs and mandates biennial data collection on school library resources. It also protects staff from liability for following right-to-read policies and requires school libraries to uphold First Amendment rights by providing diverse reading materials without political bias.
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.
The Love Lives On Act of 2023 restores survivor benefits for veterans' spouses who remarried before age 55 and before the bill's enactment, which they previously lost due to remarriage. It removes an expiration date for the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship for surviving spouses and expands access to military commissaries and exchanges for remarried surviving spouses. The bill also extends TRICARE coverage to include remarried widows or widowers whose subsequent marriage ended.
