S 4463, the Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act, would permanently eliminate the Federal Reserve System by abolishing the Board of Governors and all Federal Reserve Banks one year after the bill becomes law. It repeals the Federal Reserve Act and requires a one-year wind-down period during which the Fed Chairman manages employee compensation, assets, and liabilities under Treasury approval. The Office of Management and Budget must orderly sell all Fed assets, transfer net proceeds to the Treasury, and transfer all Fed liabilities (including employee benefits) to the Treasury for payment from those funds. The Treasury and OMB must also submit a report to Congress 18 months after enactment detailing the implementation process.
S 4468, the "Stop the BIS RULE Act," blocks federal funding for the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) to finalize, implement, or enforce a specific 2024 rule about firearms licensing. The bill directly targets the April 30, 2024, rule (published as 89 Fed. Reg. 34680) that revised requirements for firearm export licenses. It prevents the use of any federal funds to advance this particular regulation, effectively halting its implementation without changing the underlying rule itself.
The Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2024 streamlines congressional review of "midnight rules" - regulations issued by federal agencies near the end of a presidential term. It allows Congress to disapprove multiple such rules in a single joint resolution, rather than requiring separate resolutions for each rule. This change applies specifically to rules for which the agency report was submitted during the final year of a president’s term. The bill directly affects federal agencies issuing these late-term regulations and Congress, which gains a more efficient process to block them.
This bill (SJRES 91) seeks to block a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) rule that set minimum staffing requirements for long-term care facilities (like nursing homes) and required transparency in Medicaid payments. If passed, it would cancel the rule (89 Fed. Reg. 40876), preventing it from taking effect under a specific congressional review process. The rule directly affects long-term care providers and Medicaid programs by imposing new staffing and reporting requirements. This resolution is procedural - it does not create new law but halts the implementation of the CMS rule.
This Senate resolution (SRES 718) expresses the Senate's position that the U.S. government should immediately halt all federally funded gain-of-function research due to safety concerns. It specifically urges Congress to pass the Viral Gain-of-Function Research Moratorium Act (S. 81), which would define such research as work that could enhance a virus's transmissibility or pathogenicity and prohibit federal grants for it. The resolution directly affects research institutions receiving federal funding, including universities and organizations like EcoHealth Alliance, that conduct this type of work. As a non-binding resolution, it calls for legislative action but does not itself impose the moratorium.
HR 8617, the Adoptee Citizenship Act of 2024, automatically grants U.S. citizenship to certain internationally adopted individuals who meet specific criteria. It directly affects adoptees adopted by U.S. citizen parents before age 18, who were physically present in the U.S. in legal custody before age 18, never acquired citizenship before the bill's enactment, and were residing in the U.S. on the bill's effective date. For those already in the U.S., citizenship becomes automatic upon meeting these conditions; for those abroad, citizenship is granted upon lawful entry. The bill removes barriers that previously prevented automatic citizenship for these adoptees under prior immigration rules. It requires background checks for visa issuance but exempts applicants from standard inadmissibility grounds.
This bill (SJRES 90) blocks a federal rule issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would have required health programs receiving federal funds to follow new nondiscrimination standards. It uses a specific legal process (under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code) to formally disapprove the rule, making it ineffective. The rule, published on May 6, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 37522), directly affected health programs and activities funded by the federal government. The bill does not create new policy but halts an existing rule from taking effect.
H.J. Res. 157 seeks to disapprove a rule issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that would have updated how marine species are listed as endangered or threatened and critical habitats are designated under the Endangered Species Act. The rule, published in the Federal Register on April 5, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 24300), aimed to change implementation procedures for marine species protections. If enacted, this resolution would block the rule from taking effect, preserving current listing and habitat designation practices. This is a standard congressional disapproval process under Title 5 of the U.S. Code for challenging federal agency rules.
HJRES 158 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rule published on April 5, 2024, that would have updated how endangered and threatened species are listed and critical habitats designated. If passed, this resolution would block the rule from taking effect under the Congressional Review Act, preventing changes to the agency’s regulatory approach for wildlife conservation. The rule directly affected the management of protections for at-risk species and their habitats by altering listing and habitat designation procedures. This disapproval action halts the proposed regulatory changes without altering existing conservation laws.
S 4405, the Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act, repeals Section 136 of the Clean Air Act, which previously provided incentives for reducing methane emissions in the natural gas and petroleum industry. This bill directly affects natural gas and oil companies that participated in the methane emissions reduction program under the repealed section. The bill also rescinds any unobligated funds allocated for that program before its enactment. The legislation removes an existing federal incentive program without creating new taxes or regulations.
The Downwinders Act expands eligibility under the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to include people who lived or worked in specific New Mexico counties (Bernalillo, Chaves, Guadalupe, etc.) or Missouri ZIP codes (including 63031, 63033, etc.) for at least two years after January 1, 1949, and later developed certain radiation-linked diseases like leukemia or specific cancers. It extends the compensation period from two to eight years after the bill's enactment and adds new provisions for claims related to Manhattan Project waste, requiring documented medical records and proof of physical presence. Compensation amounts include $50,000 for living claimants or $25,000 for surviving spouses/children of deceased claimants. The bill directly affects individuals exposed to radiation fallout from historical nuclear testing, primarily in New Mexico and Missouri.
The GPA Act (S 4425) establishes U.S. sanctions against Georgian officials who obstruct Georgia's path to NATO and EU membership, including those involved in significant corruption or actions undermining Georgia's sovereignty. It requires the U.S. to review and potentially suspend foreign assistance to Georgia if the government continues policies that impede democratic development, such as the controversial "foreign agents bill" that restricts civil society. The legislation includes provisions to support Georgia's democratic institutions, free elections, and civil society while emphasizing U.S. support for Georgia's territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. It also mandates reports on disinformation, political prisoners, and corruption in Georgia, reflecting U.S. concerns about democratic backsliding and Georgia's relationship with Russia. The act includes a sunset provision, expiring five years after enactment.
