The DEFUND Act of 2023 would end U.S. membership in the United Nations and all its affiliated bodies, including the World Health Organization. It repeals all U.S. participation laws, cuts all funding for UN contributions, closes the U.S. Mission to the UN, and requires the UN to vacate U.S. government property. The bill also revokes diplomatic immunity for UN personnel and prohibits future U.S. re-entry into the UN without explicit Senate approval. These provisions would fundamentally sever U.S. legal and financial ties to the United Nations system.
This bill amends the Endangered Species Act to exempt certain captive fish and their offspring from standard protections. It allows activities involving fish legally held in captivity or a controlled environment - maintaining physical separation from wild populations - to continue without triggering ESA restrictions. Owners must demonstrate compliance with applicable international conservation rules (like CITES) to qualify for this exemption. The exemption ends if the fish or offspring are intentionally released into the wild.
This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to change how oil and gas companies calculate taxable income for certain drilling costs. It allows companies to disregard depreciation and depletion expenses recorded on their financial statements when computing taxable income, specifically for intangible drilling and development costs. This directly affects oil and gas producers who use these accounting methods. The change applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2022.
S 3366, the Farmers Freedom Act of 2023, clarifies that "prior converted cropland" must be defined using the 2020 Navigable Waters Protection Rule. This directly affects farmers who converted wetlands to cropland before 2008, ensuring their land remains excluded from certain federal water pollution regulations. The bill mandates the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers to adopt the specific 2020 regulatory definition for this term, maintaining current regulatory status for affected agricultural land. It does not create new rules but preserves existing exemptions for prior converted cropland under the Clean Water Act.
This bill requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to obtain fingerprints from noncitizen children under 14 years old if officers suspect they are trafficking victims upon entering the U.S. It also creates a new federal crime for adults (18+) who knowingly use a minor for entry without being a relative or guardian, punishable by fines or up to 10 years in prison. The bill mandates sharing fingerprints collected under this provision with the Department of Health and Human Services for unaccompanied minors and requires CBP to report monthly data on trafficking-related apprehensions and annual data on fingerprinting to Congress. These provisions directly affect CBP officers, unaccompanied children, and individuals suspected of exploiting minors for entry.
The DETERRENT Act requires colleges and universities to disclose foreign gifts and contracts worth $50,000 or more, including details about the foreign source, purpose, and value, with a public database for transparency. It establishes a waiver process for institutions seeking to contract with "foreign countries of concern" or "foreign entities of concern" while imposing fines up to 100-200% of investment value for non-compliance. The law primarily affects institutions receiving federal funds, particularly those with significant research funding, and mandates policies for faculty and staff regarding foreign gifts. It also requires interagency sharing of information with intelligence and law enforcement agencies to address potential national security concerns.
The Fiscal Stability Act of 2023 establishes a 16-member Fiscal Commission to develop recommendations for improving the federal government's long-term fiscal health. The commission, appointed by congressional leadership with balanced representation from both parties, must identify policies to achieve a sustainable public debt-to-GDP ratio of 100% by 2039 and ensure solvency of federal trust funds for at least 75 years. The commission must submit a report and implementing bill by May 1, 2025, which Congress would consider under expedited procedures requiring approval by a supermajority of voting members. This bill directly affects federal budget policy by creating a structured process for addressing fiscal challenges, with the commission terminating 30 days after submitting its final recommendations.
H.J.Res. 66 disapproves a specific rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) regarding small business lending under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (Regulation B). The resolution, if passed, would prevent this CFPB rule from taking effect by declaring it "have no force or effect." The rule in question (88 Fed. Reg. 35150) aimed to clarify how lenders must evaluate small business loan applications under existing equal credit laws. This disapproval directly affects the CFPB's regulatory authority and would block the rule's implementation for small business lenders and financial institutions.
S 3347 requires the President to designate Ansarallah (the Houthi movement) as a foreign terrorist organization within 30 days of the bill becoming law. It mandates imposing existing U.S. sanctions under Executive Order 13224 on Ansarallah and any foreign person determined to be its official, agent, or affiliate. The bill also requires the President to submit a determination within 30 days about whether specific individuals - Abdul Malik al-Houthi, Abd al-Khaliq Badr al-Din al-Houthi, and Abdullah Yahya al-Hakim - are connected to Ansarallah. This bill directly affects Ansarallah and those designated as its officials or affiliates, triggering automatic sanctions without requiring new legislation.
This bill prohibits state and federal governments from denying contracts, funding, or licenses to child welfare service providers (including religious organizations and individuals) who decline to provide services conflicting with their sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. It specifically protects providers from adverse actions like refusing to renew contracts or canceling funding when their religious objections prevent them from offering certain services, such as foster care placements or adoption assistance. The law allows affected providers to sue for violations and requires states that violate the law to forfeit 15% of their federal child welfare funding. It applies to all federally funded child welfare services under Title IV of the Social Security Act, covering services like foster care, adoption support, and family preservation.
S 820, the Protecting Consumers from PFAS Act, adds the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to the federal interagency working group that coordinates efforts on PFAS chemicals. PFAS are chemicals commonly found in consumer products like non-stick cookware and water-resistant clothing, with health concerns linked to long-term exposure. The bill formally includes the CPSC - responsible for regulating product safety - into this working group to enhance federal coordination on PFAS. It does not change product regulations but updates agency roles in federal PFAS oversight.
HR 6305, the Terminate CDC Overreach Act, limits the CDC's authority to issue regulations preventing communicable disease spread. It restricts the CDC to regulations focused solely on interstate transmission prevention (e.g., isolating infected individuals moving between states), requiring Congress to disapprove any broader regulations within 6 days. The bill also mandates that CDC guidance documents with broad public impact must include scientific evidence, such as clinical data or studies. This directly affects the CDC's rulemaking process and requires Congress to actively review and potentially block new CDC health regulations.
