Medicare and Medicaid Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2023 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. Coverage includes (1) routine dental cleanings and exams, basic and major dental services, emergency dental care, and dentures; (2) routine eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses; and (3) routine hearing exams, hearing aids, and exams for hearing aids. With respect to such care, the bill establishes special payment rules, limitations, and coinsurance requirements. The bill also increases the Medicaid Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for dental, vision, and hearing services.
SRES 109 is a Senate resolution requesting the U.S. State Department to provide a detailed report on Saudi Arabia’s human rights practices within 30 days. It requires the State Department to include documented information on alleged violations - such as torture, executions for nonviolent offenses, discrimination against women, religious restrictions, forced disappearances, and actions in Yemen - along with U.S. efforts to promote human rights and assess whether security assistance should continue. The resolution also asks for specifics on end-use monitoring of weapons sold to Saudi Arabia, impacts on Israel’s military edge, and actions regarding U.S. citizens detained or harassed by Saudi authorities. This is a procedural request for information under existing law, not a policy change.
The CARE for Long COVID Act establishes a national patient registry to collect data on Long COVID symptoms, treatments, and demographic information to improve understanding of the condition. It allocates $30 million for the registry in 2024, $15 million for research on healthcare disparities related to Long COVID, and $30 million annually for public and provider education programs about symptoms and treatments. The bill also creates interagency coordination to inform people about their rights in employment, education, and disability benefits related to Long COVID, with $30 million annually for this purpose. Additionally, it provides $50 million annually to support legal and social services assistance for people with Long COVID seeking disability benefits, healthcare access, and other services. The bill directly affects individuals with Long COVID, healthcare providers, and legal service organizations by improving data collection, education, and access to support services.
The Healthy H2O Act (S.806) provides federal grants to help rural households, renters, multi-unit property owners, and child-care facilities with contaminated drinking water. It funds certified point-of-use or point-of-entry water filtration systems, including installation, maintenance, and water testing, for those with health contaminants like lead or arsenic. Grants cover costs up to reasonable limits but exclude households earning over 150% of the median rural income in their state. The program requires third-party certification for filters, installers, and testing labs to ensure effectiveness and safety.
S 817, the SVB Act, repeals Title IV of the 2018 Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act (Public Law 115-174). This bill restores the banking regulations that existed before Title IV was enacted, effectively undoing the 2018 changes to financial oversight. It directly affects banking regulations governing financial institutions by reverting to the prior regulatory framework. The key mechanism is the explicit repeal of Title IV and the restoration of pre-2018 provisions as if the 2018 law had never applied.
S 800 imposes a special tax on certain bank executives who received bonuses or sold bank stock within 60 days before their institution was taken over by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). It applies to executives earning over $250,000 in adjusted gross income who worked at banks entering FDIC conservatorship or receivership. The tax rate is 90% on bonus payments and 100% on stock sale profits from that period. All revenue generated will be directed to the Deposit Insurance Fund, not directly to taxpayers.
This bill mandates a study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to assess how airlines prepare for weather events and natural hazards like storms, floods, and extreme heat. The GAO will evaluate airlines' operational planning, FAA oversight, and potential improvements for resilience, then report findings to Congress within 18 months. It directly affects airlines (through their operational planning) and the FAA (as regulator), but does not impose new requirements on carriers. The study aims to inform future policy decisions without altering current airline operations or regulations.
This bill authorizes the minting of commemorative coins to mark the 100th anniversary of the U.S. Foreign Service. It specifies three coin types: up to 50,000 $5 gold coins (90% gold), 400,000 $1 silver coins (90% silver), and 750,000 half-dollar clad coins, all to be issued in 2025. A surcharge ($35 for gold, $10 for silver, $5 for half-dollars) will be added to each coin's sale price, with all funds going directly to the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training to support its diplomatic history preservation work. The bill ensures no net cost to the government by requiring all design, production, and marketing expenses to be recovered through coin sales.
This bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - female telephone operators who served in the Army Signal Corps during World War I. They provided critical battlefield communications in France (connecting 26 million calls), wore military uniforms, and faced combat risks, but were denied veteran benefits for 60 years due to being classified as civilian contractors. The medal recognizes their pioneering service, devotion, and the decades-long struggle to gain military recognition. The award follows similar recognition for other WWII women veterans and aims to correct the historical injustice they faced.
The PHIT Act of 2023 allows individuals and families to deduct certain fitness expenses as medical costs on their federal taxes. It covers gym memberships, fitness classes, and specific equipment used exclusively for exercise (like home workout gear), with a yearly limit of $1,000 ($2,000 for joint returns). Expenses for activities like golf, hunting, or non-exercise-focused facilities (e.g., private clubs) are excluded, and equipment must be used solely for physical activity. This directly affects taxpayers who pay for qualifying fitness programs, making these costs partially tax-deductible under revised IRS rules.
The SVB Act (HR 1602) repeals Title IV of the 2018 Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which had relaxed banking regulations. It directly affects banks previously subject to those relaxed rules, particularly smaller institutions that benefited from the 2018 changes. The bill’s key mechanism is restoring the pre-2018 regulatory framework, reversing the specific provisions that eased oversight. This returns banking oversight to the structure that existed before the 2018 law took effect, without creating new rules.
HRES 219 is a symbolic resolution (not a binding bill) expressing the House’s support for inclusive public schools. It urges schools to adopt historically accurate, diverse educational materials that reflect the nation’s diversity, foster parent-educator partnerships, and eliminate discrimination based on race, disability, LGBTQ+ identity, or other factors. The resolution emphasizes creating safe, well-rounded learning environments that prepare all students for success while protecting students’ civil rights. It directly affects public school districts, educators, families, and students by encouraging practices that promote equity and inclusion.
