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Airports, Spaceports, and Accountability

Key Bills on: Airports, Spaceports, and Congressional Accountability

Legisloop: Daily Brief

By: Sam Lachman Published: 3/5/24
1,076 words Read Time: 5 minutes

Good morning! Thank you for reading Legisloop, the best newsletter to stay in the loop with the most interesting bills introduced into Congress. Every day, when new bill texts are released by the US Governement, we bring you our favorites! We have an interesting mix of bills for today, and we hope you find this letter informative.

REMEMBER, if any of these bills stand out to you, don’t be afraid to reach out to your congressperson to let them know how you feel. If you don’t know who your representative or senator is (trust me, at one point I didn’t either) I have provided links to complete lists of congresspeople from both the House and Senate. ⬅️ Just click on whichever you are interested in viewing. Now lets get into the bills!

Bills of The Day:

Do Your Job Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7466
Date Introduced: February 28, 2024
Sponsor: Burchett (R-TN)
Co-Sponsor(s): N/A (You can imagine why)

Pictured: Omayra Hernadez (Joe Raedle / Getty Images)

Summary: The bill aims to amend the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 to impose a pay cut for Members of Congress if a budget resolution for the fiscal year is not agreed upon by the start of that fiscal year. Specifically, if both Houses of Congress have not agreed to a budget resolution by the first day of a fiscal year, the salaries for Members of Congress will be reduced to 90% of their pay from the preceding pay period for that fiscal year. Additionally, the bill seeks to repeal the automatic appropriation of funds for Congress members' salaries, making their pay subject to the availability of appropriations. If passed, these changes are set to take effect for pay periods after the November 2024 federal elections.

Next Action: The bill has been referred to the Committee on House Administration and the Committee on Oversight and Accountability for consideration.

Airport Immigration Enforcement Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7445
Date Introduced: February 23, 2024
Sponsor: Self (R-TX)
Co-Sponsor(s): Babin (R-TX), Perry (R-PA), Malliotakis (R-NY), Hageman (R-WY), Feenstra (R-IA), Mace (R-SC), Hinson (R-IA), Bishop (R-NC), Rosendale (R-MT), Miller (R-IL), Tiffany (R-WI), Weber (R-TX), Boebert (R-CO), Davidson (R-OH)

Migrants in makeshift shelter at O’Hare International Airport on August 31, 2023. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

Summary: The "Airport Immigration Enforcement Act" seeks to prohibit the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from authorizing the use of airport space to house undocumented migrants. This bill also stipulates that no federal funds can be used for the housing of undocumented migrants in any airport, aiming to enforce immigration laws and regulate the use of airport facilities strictly for aviation and related services.

Next Action: The bill has been referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for consideration.

Robert E. Lee Monument Removal Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7474
Date Introduced: February 28, 2024
Sponsor: Trone (D-MD)
Co-Sponsor(s): Hoyer (D-MD), Ivey (D-MD), Mfume (D-MD), Raskin (D-MD), Ruppersberger (D-MD), Sarbanes (D-MD)

Summary: Mandates the Secretary of the Interior to promptly remove the statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee located at the historic Newcomer House and Farmstead, part of Antietam National Battlefield, acquired by the National Park Service in 2005. The bill requires the Secretary to contract a private entity for the monument's destruction, allows for the sale of the statue's materials as scrap to offset destruction costs, and ensures these materials aren't considered excess or surplus property. A detailed removal and destruction plan, including a timeline, must be submitted to the House Committee on Natural Resources within a year of the Act's enactment.

Monument to Gen. Robert E. Lee refered to in the bill (NPS Photo)

Next Action: The bill has been referred to the Committee on Natural Resources for consideration.

Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7390
Date Introduced: February 15, 2024
Sponsor: Schakowsky (D-IL)
Co-Sponsor(s): Nadler (D-NY), Khanna (D-CA), Porter (D-CA), Norton (D-DC), Johnson (D-GA), Tonko (D-NY), Scanlon (D-PA), Takano (D-CA)

Summary: The act aims to outlaw price gouging, enhancing the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) authority to seek permanent injunctions and other equitable reliefs. It defines price gouging as selling goods or services at a grossly excessive price, regardless of one's position in the supply chain. The Act establishes criteria for what constitutes a grossly excessive price, including during exceptional market shocks like natural disasters or public health emergencies. It provides for an affirmative defense for small entities and presumes certain conditions as indicative of price gouging. The Act also outlines enforcement mechanisms, including civil penalties and the role of State Attorneys General in enforcing the law. Additionally, it requires disclosures in SEC filings for companies affected during exceptional market shocks, detailing their pricing strategies and the impact on costs and revenues. Finally, it appropriates $1 billion to the FTC for implementation, effective through September 30, 2032.

COVID-19 era price gouging (WCYY)

Next Action: The bill has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Financial Services for further consideration.

Secure U.S. Leadership in Space Act of 2024
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 7470
Date Introduced: February 28, 2024
Sponsor: Dunn (R-FL)
Co-Sponsor(s): Carbajal (D-CA), Gallagher (R-WI), Vasquez (D-NM), Gimenez (R-FL)

Spaceport America, The world’s first comercial spaceport (Wikipedia)

Summary: This bipartisan bill seeks to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to equate spaceports with airports concerning the rules for exempt facility bonds. This amendment allows spaceports to be financed in a manner similar to airports, facilitating investment in infrastructure critical for space exploration and industry. Specifically, the bill defines "spaceport" and its related terms, modifies the treatment of ground leases for spaceport property, and provides exceptions for spaceports from certain federal bond prohibitions and state ceiling limitations. The bill aims to support the growth of the space sector by making it easier to fund spaceport projects, including manufacturing, assembling, repairing of spacecraft, flight control operations, and launch/reentry services.

Next Action: The bill has been referred to the Committee on Ways and Means for consideration.

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