This bill blocks the U.S. Commerce and Interior Departments from implementing new vessel speed or operational restrictions in the Gulf of Mexico's oil and gas areas until they complete a required study. The study must assess impacts on Rice's whales' habitat and prove such restrictions won't harm energy production, military readiness, fishing, or maritime commerce. It also mandates that any future "mitigation protocols" for whale protection cannot include nighttime transit bans or speed limits. The bill directly affects Gulf oil/gas leasing, development, and marine conservation efforts by delaying potential regulatory changes.
This resolution supports the designation of September 21, 2023, as National Teach Ag Day and recognizes the important role of agricultural education and the National FFA Organization in developing the next generation of agricultural leaders.
Senate Resolution 376 clarifies the existing requirement for business attire on the Senate floor, specifying that men must wear a coat, tie, and long pants. The resolution designates the Senate Sergeant at Arms to enforce this dress code and mandates that any future changes to the rule require a two-thirds vote of all senators. This procedural resolution formalizes current standards without altering them, ensuring consistency in Senate decorum.
This bill requires all states to apply a uniform asset test to every Medicaid applicant and recipient, removing previous exemptions for people based on age, blindness, or disability. It ties the asset limit to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program's maximum resource threshold, meaning individuals with assets exceeding SSI limits would lose eligibility (except for pregnant/postpartum women and children under 19, who retain continuous eligibility). States must implement electronic asset verification systems within one year and report on eligibility determinations, including asset checks conducted. The bill also mandates the federal government track savings from these verification efforts and requires states to submit compliance reports to Congress.
This bill requires retailers to label beef as "United States origin" only if the entire production process - from birth to slaughter to packaging - occurred in the U.S. It directly affects beef retailers and importers selling beef in the U.S. market. The law increases penalties for non-compliant beef labeling to $5,000 per pound (up from $1,000 for other products) and mandates a report to Congress on false labeling of foreign beef as U.S.-origin. The report must assess how much falsely labeled beef was sold since 2013, identify offending packers, and estimate economic losses for U.S. ranchers.
HRES 684 is a symbolic congressional resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on September 14, 2023, condemning New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's emergency order that temporarily suspended open and concealed carry firearm rights for 30 days. The resolution asserts the order violated the Second Amendment, citing Supreme Court precedents (Heller, McDonald, Bruen) and noting a federal judge had already blocked the order's firearm restrictions. It does not change any laws or impose legal consequences - it is solely a formal expression of disapproval from Congress. The resolution directly addresses the Governor's actions but has no effect on New Mexico's laws or citizens' rights.
This bill delays the implementation of a 2016 federal rule governing sheep and goat imports for one year. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to study the rule's potential economic impacts, including import volumes, regional market effects, pandemic influences, and effects on U.S. producers and animal health. The study must assess costs, benefits, and risks before the Secretary submits a report to Congress with recommendations for modifying the rule. The delay and study directly affect U.S. sheep/goat producers, importers, and federal agencies managing livestock regulations.
The Stop EV Freeloading Act (S 2882) imposes new taxes on electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers and importers. It levies a $550 tax on each heavy battery module (over 1,000 pounds) and a $1,000 tax on each new electric vehicle sold, excluding hybrid vehicles that use both internal combustion engines and rechargeable batteries. The tax revenue will be transferred to the Highway Trust Fund, which funds transportation infrastructure. These taxes apply to sales occurring after December 31, 2023.
S 2909, the "Deferring Executive Authority Act" (DEA Act), requires the Attorney General to submit a report to Congress before any federal rule can reschedule marijuana under the Controlled Substances Act. Congress can then disapprove the rule within 60 days using a joint resolution, preventing the scheduling change from taking effect. This procedural bill directly affects the Attorney General's authority to alter marijuana's federal classification and gives Congress a 60-day window to block such changes. It does not change marijuana's legal status but establishes a review process for scheduling decisions.
The Protecting Access to Recreation with Cash Act (PARC Act) requires all National Park System units that charge entrance fees to accept cash payments. This ensures visitors can pay with cash at every park entrance where a fee is collected, not just through electronic methods. The bill amends existing law to explicitly mandate cash acceptance at all such fee locations. The policy change applies to all national parks, monuments, and other units currently charging entrance fees under federal regulations.
S 2911, the "Protecting the Right To Keep and Bear Arms Act of 2023," prevents federal officials from using emergency declarations to impose gun control. It bans the President from declaring emergencies under the National Emergencies Act or the Stafford Act for gun control purposes, and stops the Health and Human Services Secretary from declaring public health emergencies for the same reason. The bill also amends the Stafford Act to explicitly prohibit emergency declarations that would restrict firearm possession, sale, or transfer of firearms, ammunition, or related accessories. This directly affects how federal emergency powers can be used during crises, limiting actions that could impact gun rights under the Second Amendment.
This bill requires the Secretary of State to notify Congress before entering, renewing, or extending any science and technology agreement with China. It mandates a 30-day waiting period after submitting detailed documentation to congressional committees, including the full agreement text, national security justification, risk assessments of technology transfer, human rights considerations, and monitoring plans. Existing agreements with China must be revoked unless the Secretary submits this notification within 60 days of the bill's enactment. The law directly affects U.S. diplomatic negotiations with China on scientific and technical collaborations.
