This resolution (SRES 63) is a symbolic Senate measure formally celebrating Black History Month. It acknowledges the contributions of African Americans to U.S. history and society, recognizes the origins of Black History Month (beginning as Negro History Week in 1926), and encourages nationwide reflection on this history. The resolution does not create new laws or policies but serves as a formal Senate acknowledgment of the significance of Black History Month in February. It aims to honor the legacy of African American pioneers and promote learning about their impact on the nation.
HR 382, the "Pandemic is Over Act," terminates the federal public health emergency declaration for the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill ends the emergency status declared on January 31, 2020, effective upon the bill's enactment. This action directly ends the federal authority tied to the emergency, including related public health measures and funding mechanisms under the Public Health Service Act.
The Financial Exploitation Prevention Act of 2023 requires investment companies and transfer agents to implement safeguards for "specified adults" (individuals aged 65+ or those with a mental/physical impairment that limits their ability to protect their own financial interests) who hold direct-at-fund accounts. It mandates collecting contact information for a trusted person to help verify account activity, and allows delaying redemption payments (for up to 25 business days total) if financial exploitation is suspected, after notifying the trusted contact and conducting an internal review. The law also requires detailed record-keeping, internal procedures for handling delays, and directs the SEC to submit a report to Congress within one year on further regulatory needs.
The Strategic Production Response Act (HR 21) requires the Secretary of Energy to develop a plan increasing oil and gas leasing on federal lands (managed by Interior, Agriculture, Energy, and Defense) by the same percentage as any initial drawdown of petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This plan must be created before the first sale, exchange, or loan of reserve oil, and cannot increase leasing on federal lands by more than 10% overall. The bill mandates consultation with the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, and Defense during plan development. It directly affects federal land management agencies and future oil/gas leasing decisions on public lands.
HCONRES 7 is a symbolic resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives that commends Iranian protesters - particularly women - who have risked safety to demonstrate against the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, including the mandatory hijab law and violent crackdowns following Mahsa Amini's death. It condemns the regime's use of violence (reportedly killing over 450 protesters) and detention of activists, while urging the Biden Administration to impose additional human rights sanctions on officials involved in repression and support internet freedom tools to bypass Iranian censorship. The resolution makes no binding policy changes but formally expresses congressional support for protesters' demands for freedom, justice, and an end to discriminatory laws targeting women. It does not directly affect any U.S. laws or policies but serves as a statement of U.S. position.
This bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to annually report on the microloan program starting in 2023. It mandates detailed public reports covering loan default rates, rural lending, underserved borrower participation, interest rates, fees, loan sizes, and technical assistance spending - without including personal borrower data. These reports target SBA intermediaries (like community lenders) and will be submitted to Congress and published online. The law directly affects how SBA administers microloans to small businesses, particularly those in rural areas or underserved communities.
This bill requires healthcare providers to give the same medical care to infants born alive during abortions as they would to any newborn, and to immediately admit such infants to a hospital. It mandates reporting of non-compliance to law enforcement and imposes penalties including up to 5 years in prison for violations. Women who undergo abortions can file civil lawsuits seeking money damages for injuries, three times the abortion cost, and punitive damages if care standards are not met. The bill also clarifies that abortion includes intentionally killing an unborn child or terminating pregnancy without specific exceptions (e.g., after viability to preserve life or removing a dead fetus).
HR 23, the Family and Small Business Taxpayer Protection Act, rescinds unobligated funds previously allocated to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Specifically, it cancels unused balances from certain IRS funding provisions (sections 10301(1)(A)(ii), (iii), (B), (2), (3), (4), and (5)) of the Inflation Reduction Act. This bill does not change tax laws or directly affect taxpayers; it only redirects unspent IRS budget authority. The provision applies solely to funds that were not obligated by the IRS as of the bill’s enactment date.
HR 22, the *Protecting America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve from China Act*, blocks the U.S. government from selling petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to entities under Chinese Communist Party control or unless sellers guarantee the oil won’t be exported to China. It directly affects the Department of Energy’s management of the reserve and any foreign entities seeking to purchase reserve petroleum. The key mechanism requires the Secretary of Energy to prohibit sales to China-linked entities or impose strict export restrictions on any sale. This policy change aims to prevent strategic petroleum resources from reaching entities tied to China’s government.
HCONRES 3 is a non-binding congressional resolution expressing support for pro-life facilities, groups, and churches targeted by vandalism and threats following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision. It condemns specific incidents like graffiti, window-smashing, and arson at pregnancy centers and churches (e.g., in Frederick, MD, and Portland, OR), while recognizing the role of these organizations in supporting pregnant women. The resolution calls on the Biden Administration to use law enforcement to protect these facilities but does not create new laws or policies. As a symbolic measure, it has no legal effect on the incidents described.
This resolution condemns the actions of a White supremacist mob that drove Black residents out of Atlanta, Georgia in 1906 and supports the designation of a national day of remembrance for the victims of forced migrations of Black Americans.
This resolution promotes increased public awareness of motorcyclist profiling. The resolution also encourages the motorcyclist community and law enforcement to collaborate and communicate on efforts to end motorcyclist profiling.
