Ensuring Access to Lower-Cost Medicines for Seniors Act This bill requires prescription drug plans under the Medicare prescription drug benefit to include generic drugs and biosimilars on their formularies. Specifically, the bill requires plans that use formularies to include generic drugs and biosimilars on the formularies and without any requirements (e.g., prior authorization requirements) that are more restrictive as compared to those for brand-name drugs and biologics. Plans that use cost-sharing tiers must also have specific tiers for generic drugs and biosimilars, in accordance with certain limitations.
HR 4299, the "There are Two Sexes Act of 2023," prohibits the use of federal funds for creating or distributing any required federal form that offers gender options beyond "Male" or "Female." It directly affects federal agencies and programs that require individuals to provide gender information on official forms, such as benefit applications or enrollment documents. The bill bans federal funding for any such form starting October 1, 2024, ensuring only binary gender options are used on federally mandated paperwork. This policy change restricts how federal entities collect gender data but does not alter personal identification or state-level policies.
HR 4294 would require the President to annually designate one month as "Fidelity Month," focused on promoting values like faith, family, and patriotism. The bill directs the President to use this observance to encourage Americans to reaffirm these values, based on the bill's findings about their perceived decline. This is a procedural resolution with no new funding or regulations; it only mandates a presidential designation. The bill directly affects the President's authority and indirectly invites public participation in a national observance.
HJRES 45 is a congressional disapproval resolution targeting a specific Department of Education rule about federal student loans. It seeks to block the rule implementing "One-Time Federal Student Loan Debt Relief" (including modifications to Perkins, FFEL, and Direct Loan programs) by invoking the Congressional Review Act. If passed, this resolution would nullify the rule, preventing the Department of Education from using it to modify or waive student loan obligations. The bill directly affects borrowers who might have qualified for debt relief under the targeted rule.
HRES 521 is a formal resolution censuring Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA, 30th District) for conduct deemed "unbecoming" of a House member. The resolution alleges Schiff repeatedly made false claims about Trump-Russia collusion, including spreading Steele Dossier information and releasing a flawed FISA memo, and misled the public during impeachment proceedings. If passed, it would require Schiff to appear in the House chamber for a public reading of the censure resolution. The resolution also directs the House Ethics Committee to investigate Schiff's "falsehoods and misrepresentations." This is a symbolic procedural action, not a law changing policy or affecting constituents.
This bill prohibits the Administrator of General Services from considering the legality or availability of abortion when making decisions about federal buildings. Specifically, it amends federal law to ban the GSA from factoring abortion laws into building acquisitions, construction projects, or lease agreements for government properties. The key provision adds explicit language to multiple sections of Title 40, stating the Administrator "shall not consider the legality or availability of abortion" in these decisions. It directly affects how the federal government manages its physical infrastructure, ensuring building-related decisions are not influenced by state abortion laws. The bill does not change abortion policy but restricts one specific federal agency's decision-making criteria.
S 2090, the *Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act of 2023*, modifies federal clean air rules to restrict state vehicle emission standards. It adds a new requirement that state rules cannot "directly or indirectly limit the sale or use of new gas-powered cars," effectively blocking states from enforcing policies that would phase out internal combustion engine vehicles. The bill also mandates the EPA to cancel existing state emission waivers (like California’s) if those waivers don’t meet this new standard. This directly affects states with their own vehicle emission rules and the EPA’s authority to approve them under the Clean Air Act.
The Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Act of 2023 allows parents to claim the child tax credit for unborn children in two specific scenarios: for the tax year immediately before a child's birth (if a Social Security number is provided on the return), or for the year of a miscarriage or stillbirth (if a government-issued certificate is submitted). It requires a new certificate of miscarriage or stillbirth, issued by the National Center for Health Statistics, which must include a health care provider's certification (excluding abortion centers) and a parent's sworn statement. The credit applies to the biological mother or her husband on a joint return and covers children born alive, stillborn, or miscarried after the bill's enactment. This change makes the credit accessible earlier in pregnancy and for pregnancy loss, without altering the standard credit amount for children born alive.
This bill adds multi-cancer early detection screening tests to Medicare Part B coverage, directly affecting Medicare beneficiaries. It creates a new coverage category for FDA-approved blood tests (like those analyzing cell-free DNA) that screen for multiple cancer types simultaneously, as defined in the bill. Medicare would cover these tests once every 12 months, and the bill clarifies that this change does not impact existing coverage for standard cancer screenings like mammograms or colonoscopies. The policy change ensures beneficiaries can access these new screening options without unnecessary delays after FDA approval.
This bill increases criminal penalties for non-citizens who reenter the U.S. after being deported or excluded. It specifically targets individuals with prior convictions for drug offenses, violent crimes, or multiple prior removals, imposing stricter fines and longer prison terms. For example, those convicted of an aggravated felony or two prior illegal reentries face mandatory minimum sentences of 5 years in prison, up to 20 years. The law also expands penalties for those who reenter without Homeland Security's permission after being removed under certain provisions.
This bill allows employers to offer "custom health option" arrangements (CHOICE) that pair with individual health insurance plans. It enables employers to fund these arrangements (with a fixed annual dollar limit) to reimburse employees for medical costs when they have individual coverage (like ACA marketplace plans or Medicare), rather than traditional group health plans. The arrangements must follow strict rules: they can't discriminate against employees in the same category (e.g., all full-time workers), require proof of individual coverage enrollment, and must provide clear written notices to employees. These changes apply to plan years starting after December 31, 2023.
HR 277 would require Congress to approve major federal regulations before they take effect. Major rules are defined as those with significant economic impact ($100 million+ annually), major cost increases for consumers or industries, or significant adverse effects on competition, employment, or innovation. Agencies must submit detailed information about these rules to Congress, including cost-benefit analyses, before they can take effect. Congress would have 70 session days to approve the rule with a joint resolution; if they don't act within that timeframe, the rule would not take effect. This would increase congressional oversight of federal regulations and require more detailed information about proposed rules before they become law.
