This bill sets strict deadlines for the EPA to review state applications for primary control over Class VI wells (used for underground carbon storage). It requires the EPA to approve state programs automatically if no decision is made within 210 days (180 days for review plus 30 days), unless the EPA provides a detailed written explanation of delays. States must already have authority over other well types to qualify for automatic approval. The bill also prohibits the EPA from adding new conditions to state applications and mandates regular reporting on staffing needs for implementation. It applies to all new state submissions after enactment and resets timelines for pending applications.
This resolution condemns all manifestations of expressions of racism and anti-Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander or ethnic intolerance. The resolution calls on federal law enforcement officials, working with state and local officials, to expeditiously and vigorously investigate all reports of hate crimes and threats against Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders in the United States; work to improve the reporting of such hate crimes; and hold the perpetrators of those crimes, incidents, or threats accountable and bring the perpetrators to justice.
This bill makes the adoption tax credit refundable, meaning adoptive parents who claim the credit can receive a cash refund even if they owe no federal income tax. Currently, the credit is non-refundable, so any excess credit beyond taxes owed is lost. The bill redesignates the credit in tax code (from section 23 to 36C), adds new requirements for third-party affidavits to verify adoptions, and applies to tax returns filed for 2024 and later. It directly affects adoptive parents who qualify for the credit but have no tax liability.
This bill requires the Treasury Secretary to report quarterly on foreign countries imposing "extraterritorial" or "discriminatory" taxes targeting U.S. businesses. It mandates progressively higher tax rates (starting at 5% and increasing to 20% over time) on income and payments from foreign individuals and corporations in those countries. The U.S. government can also restrict federal procurement from such entities and consider these taxes in trade negotiations. These measures directly affect foreign businesses operating in the U.S. or conducting transactions with U.S. entities. The policy aims to counter foreign tax policies that the U.S. views as unfair under international tax norms.
Small Business Growth Act This bill increases from $1 million to $2 million to the limitation on expensing of depreciable business assets. It also increases the asset threshold amount used to reduce the expensing limitation.
Create Accountability and Liability Against Lifeline Attacks Act of 2023 or the CALL Act of 2023 This bill establishes a new criminal offense for intentionally impeding the 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (including the Veterans Crisis Line). Specifically, the bill prohibits an individual from making a wire communication or an electronic communication to the lifeline with the intent to impede the provision of services through or the operation of the lifeline. A violator is subject to criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to six months, or both.
The MORE DOT Grants Act (HR 3594) reduces financial barriers for transportation grants in specific rural areas. It applies to counties with populations under 100,000 where over half the land is federally owned, and to tribal governments within those areas. Key provisions include cutting local matching fund requirements by 50% for eligible applicants, prioritizing their grant applications, and providing extra technical assistance. The bill targets existing DOT grant programs like airport improvements, rural road projects, and public transit funding to help communities that face unique challenges in accessing federal transportation support.
This joint resolution (SJRES 18) disapproves a Department of Homeland Security rule that would have expanded the "public charge" standard for immigration. The rule, published in the Federal Register on September 9, 2022, aimed to deny visas or green cards to immigrants who might rely on public benefits like housing or food assistance. By passing this resolution, Congress blocks the rule from taking effect, meaning immigrants applying for visas or permanent residency would not face this specific eligibility barrier. The resolution directly affects non-citizens seeking to enter or remain in the U.S. under immigration processes.
This bill requires that AM radio receivers be included as standard equipment in all new motor vehicles (such as cars and trucks) sold in the United States, with a rule to be issued by the Department of Transportation within one year. The rule must ensure AM radio is easily accessible on the dashboard and allows manufacturers to use digital AM radio technology instead of traditional AM. During the one-year period between the bill's enactment and the rule's effective date, manufacturers must clearly label vehicles without AM radio. The bill also directs a study to evaluate whether an alternative system could deliver emergency alerts as reliably as AM radio across the country, especially during crises.
HR 3337, the Fuels Parity Act, removes a prohibition that previously excluded corn starch ethanol from being counted as "advanced biofuel" under the Clean Air Act. This change directly affects corn-based ethanol producers by allowing corn starch ethanol to qualify under renewable fuel standards. The bill also requires the EPA to update its methodology for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from corn-based ethanol and biomass-based diesel every five years, starting 90 days after enactment, with the first update mandating the use of the Argonne National Laboratory's GREET model. These provisions aim to standardize how emissions are assessed for these fuels under federal renewable fuel programs.
The Main Street Tax Certainty Act permanently extends the 20% tax deduction for qualified business income (QBI), which currently applies to owners of pass-through businesses like sole proprietorships, partnerships, and S corporations. The bill achieves this by amending the tax code to remove an expiration date (via striking subsection (i) of Section 199A of the Internal Revenue Code). This change directly affects small business owners who rely on the QBI deduction to reduce their taxable income. The key provision eliminates uncertainty about the deduction’s future, ensuring continued eligibility without requiring future legislative action.
S 1712, the *Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act of 2023*, would allow the FDA to quickly approve drugs, biological products, and medical devices already approved in certain countries (like those listed under section 802(b)(1) of the law or the UK) for use in the U.S., bypassing full new reviews. It directly affects drug and device manufacturers seeking to market products already approved abroad, requiring them to submit a request to the FDA for "reciprocal marketing approval." The FDA must decide within 30 days, but can deny approval if safety concerns exist or if there’s no unmet medical need in the U.S., and must report denials monthly to Congress. This streamlines access to foreign-approved treatments while maintaining FDA safety oversight and allowing Congress to block approvals via joint resolution.
