Bills of The Day:

Empower Act of 2024
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7499
Date Introduced: February 29, 2024
Sponsor: Lieu (D-CA)
Co-Sponsor(s): Foushee (D-NC)

Summary: The bill proposes several significant changes to campaign finance laws: increasing and modifying matching payments for primary elections, establishing new eligibility requirements for matching payments, repealing expenditure limitations, and modifying the period and rules for the availability and use of matching payments. It also proposes changes for general elections, including modifying public financing eligibility, repealing expenditure limits, and enhancing the limit on coordinated party expenditures. Additionally, the bill introduces the Freedom From Influence Fund as a new source of campaign financing, funded by assessments against certain fines and penalties. This fund is intended to reduce the influence of large contributions in presidential campaigns by providing a more equitable financing structure. The proposed changes are designed to enhance transparency, limit the influence of large donors, and promote a more level playing field for presidential candidates.

Next Action: It was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

International Freedom Protection Act
House of Congress: Senate
Bill Code: S. 3854
Date Introduced: February 29, 2024
Sponsor: Cardin (D-MD)
Co-Sponsor(s): Wicker (R-MS)

Summary: This bill is designed to address and combat various forms of authoritarianism and corruption and to promote democracy research and development globally. It aims to counteract transnational repression by foreign governments, which includes silencing or harming individuals outside their borders through physical or digital means. The bill emphasizes the need for the United States to update its strategies against authoritarian regimes that undermine democracy and violate human rights. Key components include strengthening tools to hold perpetrators of transnational repression accountable, such as through targeted sanctions and visa restrictions, and promoting transparency and the rule of law. Additionally, it seeks to invest in democracy by prioritizing governance and anti-corruption efforts, supporting civil society, and leveraging technology to protect democratic processes. The act also outlines measures to defend political prisoners and confront digital authoritarianism, highlighting the importance of freedom of expression and internet freedom as essential to democratic resilience.

Next Action: It was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

Health Equity for People with Disabilities Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7503
Date Introduced: February 29, 2024
Sponsor: Payne (D-NJ)
Co-Sponsor(s): Fitzpatrick (R-PA)

Summary: Proposes amendments to the Public Health Service Act to ensure health equity for people with disabilities. This bill emphasizes including people with disabilities within targeted populations for healthcare services, enhancing accessibility to healthcare facilities and services. It proposes modifications across various sections of the Public Health Service Act, such as incorporating accessibility into healthcare services, explicitly acknowledging people with disabilities in service provision clauses, and defining 'disability' in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. The amendments also ensure that healthcare centers serve significant populations of people with disabilities, address barriers to care affecting these individuals, and provide necessary communication devices, aids, or services to meet accessibility requirements. The intended changes underline the necessity of accessible healthcare services and the inclusion of people with disabilities in health programming without shifting the focus from other targeted populations.

Next Action: It was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

American Worker Protection Act of 2024
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7505
Date Introduced: February 29, 2024
Sponsor: Rosendale (R-MT)
Co-Sponsor(s): Harris (R-MD), Boebert (R-CO), McCaul (R-TX), Collins (R-GA), Weber (R-TX), Gaetz (R-FL)

Summary: The Act aims to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, specifically regarding issuing H-1B nonimmigrant visas. This bill introduces a provision that would prioritize issuing H-1B visas based on the compensation rate offered to the alien, from highest to lowest. Essentially, it mandates that aliens subject to the numerical limitations of the H-1B visa category be ranked and selected based on the salary associated with their prospective employment in the United States. This amendment seeks to ensure that the H-1B visa program prioritizes higher-wage job offers, potentially impacting the selection process for these visas. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to issue necessary rules for implementing this new prioritization system before it can be applied, ensuring that the process is clearly defined and effectively administered.

Next Action: It was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Community Assent for Refugee Entry Act or the CARE Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7509
Date Introduced: February 29, 2024
Sponsor: Tiffany (R-WI)
Co-Sponsor(s): Gooden (R-TX), Ogles (R-TX), Van Orden (R-WI)

Summary: The Community Assent for Refugee Entry Act, or the CARE Act (not to be confused with the CARES Act, which was a COVID-19 relief act), introduces a legislative amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit refugee resettlement in the United States. This bill stipulates that refugees may not be resettled in any state or local jurisdiction if the governor of the state, the state legislature, the chief executive, or the local legislature of the jurisdiction has formally disapproved of such resettlement. This proposed change emphasizes the need for state and local approval or assent for refugee resettlement within their respective territories, effectively allowing states and localities the authority to refuse the resettlement of refugees based on formal disapproval actions taken by their governing bodies.

Next Action: It was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.