The American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2024 provides down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers, expands Fair Housing Act protections to include gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, source of income, and veteran status, and makes significant reforms to the Community Reinvestment Act to improve access to credit in underserved communities. The bill also provides housing loan benefits for direct descendants of veterans who served between 1944 and 1968, increases accessibility requirements for housing constructed with federal funds, and includes estate tax changes for high-value estates. It aims to address housing affordability, reduce discrimination in housing, and improve access to credit in underserved communities.
SRES 814 designates September 2024 as "National Literacy Month" through a symbolic Senate resolution. It urges federal, state, local governments, schools, libraries, nonprofits, businesses, and citizens to observe the month with programs and activities focused on literacy. The resolution highlights widespread literacy challenges in the U.S. (including low adult reading proficiency and economic impacts) but does not create new laws, funding, or enforceable requirements. It serves as a non-binding call for awareness and coordinated efforts to address literacy needs. This is a procedural resolution, not a policy change.
HRES 1448 is a non-binding House resolution stating that the House believes every person has the right to emergency health care, including abortion care, during medical emergencies. It specifically addresses concerns that abortion restrictions force medical providers to choose between treating patients in life-threatening situations or risking criminal charges. The resolution highlights that such restrictions disproportionately harm Black, Indigenous, people of color, immigrants, low-income individuals, and LGBTQI+ patients. It does not change existing laws but expresses congressional support for ensuring access to emergency care without legal barriers. The resolution was introduced by multiple House members and referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee.
The Carbon Scoring Act of 2024 requires the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to develop new modeling capabilities to track greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors (power, transportation, industry, buildings) by specific deadlines, starting with power sector models by 2025. The CBO must publish annual reports on these models and an annual emissions baseline estimate starting in 2025, including projections for climate-related costs. For bills containing climate-related provisions (like emissions taxes or caps), the CBO must provide estimates of their emissions impact and climate cost savings or expenses, calculated using the "social cost" of greenhouse gases. This bill directly affects the CBO (which receives $20 million annually for this work) and lawmakers who will use these analyses when considering climate-focused legislation.
The Ranked Choice Voting Act would require all states to use ranked choice voting for federal elections of Senators and Representatives, including primaries and general elections, beginning with elections held on or after January 1, 2027. Under this system, voters would rank candidates in order of preference, and ballots would be tabulated by eliminating the lowest-ranked candidate in each round until one candidate achieves majority support. The bill prohibits separate runoff elections and provides federal funds to help states implement the system, including for voter education and election system updates. It also establishes civil enforcement mechanisms, allowing lawsuits against states that fail to comply with the requirements.
The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2024 imposes a tax on fossil fuel companies based on historical carbon emissions exceeding 1 billion metric tons during 2000-2022. The tax revenue will fund a new Climate Fund to support climate resilience projects, disaster response, and environmental justice initiatives, with 40% of resources required for environmental justice communities. The bill mandates specific minimum funding levels for FEMA climate disaster programs and Clean Air Act environmental programs. The legislation explicitly states it does not affect existing legal claims against polluters or preempt state climate regulations.
The Polluters Pay Climate Fund Act of 2024 would require major fossil fuel companies that emitted more than 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide between 2000 and 2022 to pay a tax based on their historical emissions. The tax revenue would fund a new Climate Fund that would provide $15 billion annually for disaster response and resilience programs through FEMA, $6 billion for clean air initiatives, and mandate 40% of funds support environmental justice communities. The fund would finance climate resilience projects including climate-resilient infrastructure, ecosystem restoration, and support for vulnerable communities affected by climate change. Companies could pay the tax over nine years, and the bill explicitly states it does not affect existing legal claims against polluters for climate-related damages.
S 5021, the 340B PATIENTS Act of 2024, clarifies and strengthens the 340B drug discount program by ensuring covered entities (like community health centers, hospitals, and clinics) can legally contract with pharmacies to dispense 340B drugs to their patients. The bill explicitly prohibits drug manufacturers from restricting how covered entities use discounted drugs - such as by limiting delivery locations, requiring extra data, or refusing to ship to contracted pharmacies - regardless of where the drugs are dispensed. It adds specific provisions requiring manufacturers to offer discounts without conditions and creates new enforcement tools, including $2 million daily penalties for violations. This directly affects manufacturers who sell to covered entities and ensures these entities can use contract pharmacies to access essential medications, particularly for complex treatments like cancer drugs.
HRES 1436 is a symbolic resolution (not a law) introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. It recognizes suicide as a preventable public health crisis by citing statistics from the CDC, VA, and SAMHSA showing rising suicide rates across age groups, including veterans and adolescents. The resolution formally supports designating September as "National Suicide Prevention Month" and September 10, 2024, as "World Suicide Prevention Day." It does not create new policies, allocate funding, or directly affect any individuals - its purpose is solely to express congressional support for suicide prevention awareness and efforts.
This bill would expand eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to include college students who meet specific criteria, such as participating in work-study programs or meeting financial requirements. It creates a demonstration program to test new ways for students to use SNAP benefits on campus, including purchasing prepared foods from campus dining facilities without needing to buy a meal plan. The bill requires federal agencies to share data to identify students who might qualify for nutrition assistance and mandates institutions of higher education to provide information about available benefits. It also authorizes $1 billion in grants over seven years to support campus-based programs addressing food insecurity, housing instability, and other basic needs for students. The bill would directly affect millions of college students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds, by making it easier to access food assistance while attending college.
This bill amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief Act to allow federal grantees and subgrantees to reuse excess funds originally allocated for management costs after a disaster. Specifically, it defines "excess funds for management costs" as the difference between authorized management costs and actual spending, then permits the President to make these funds available for disaster preparedness, recovery, mitigation activities, or management costs related to declared disasters. The funds can be used for 5 years after being made available and directly affect state/local governments and organizations receiving federal disaster relief under sections 403, 404, 406, 407, or 502. It does not change overall funding levels but streamlines how unused management cost funds are reallocated for future disaster needs.
S 4973, the "No Kings Act," removes presidential and vice presidential immunity from federal criminal prosecution, requiring such cases to be handled in federal district courts with appeals limited to the D.C. Circuit. The bill specifically bars the Supreme Court from reviewing cases involving claims of presidential immunity for official acts, including dismissals of indictments or overturning convictions. It directly affects current and former presidents and vice presidents by subjecting them to the same federal criminal accountability as all other citizens. Key provisions prevent courts from considering whether alleged crimes were part of official duties unless Congress specifies otherwise, and clarify that state criminal laws remain applicable.
