Rescuing Children and Primates

Daily Government Bill Brief

Legisloop: Daily Brief

By: Sam Lachman Published: 5/29/24
825 words Read Time: 4 minutes

Good morning! Thank you for reading Legisloop, the best newsletter for staying informed about the most interesting bills introduced into Congress. We bring you the most interesting bills every day when the US government releases new bill texts.

Bills of The Day:

Stop Foreign Payoffs Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 8177
Date Introduced: April 30, 2024
Sponsor: Mr. Golden of Maine
Co-Sponsor(s): N/A

Summary: This legislation amends Title 5 of the United States Code to require senior Government officials and their family members to divest foreign financial interests. Covered individuals must convert foreign financial interests to cash or other investments or place them in a qualified blind or diversified trust within 30 days of assuming their position or the regulation's promulgation. The bill prohibits these individuals from receiving payments from foreign businesses and enforces penalties for violations, with civil actions brought by the Attorney General. It defines relevant terms, including "covered individual," "foreign business," and "foreign financial interest," and mandates regulatory bodies to issue appropriate regulations within 120 days.

Next Action: The bill was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on House Administration.

Captive Primate Safety Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 8164
Date Introduced: April 30, 2024
Sponsor: Mr. Blumenauer
Co-Sponsor(s): Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Neguse, Ms. Mace

Summary: This legislation amends the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 to prohibit activities involving prohibited primate species, including import, export, transport, sale, receipt, acquisition, breeding, or possession. Prohibited primate species include all live nonhuman primates. Exceptions are made for certain entities and individuals, such as those possessing primates born before the Act’s enactment if registered within 180 days, research facilities conducting registered research, and entities expeditiously transporting primates. The bill mandates the Secretary of the Interior to implement regulations within 180 days and ensures enforceability regardless of regulatory delays. Additionally, it includes technical amendments to correct typographical errors and update references to the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act.

Next Action: The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources.

Growing and Preserving Innovation in America Act of 2024
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 8184
Date Introduced: April 30, 2024
Sponsor: Mrs. Steel
Co-Sponsor(s): Mr. Morelle

Summary: This legislation amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to repeal the scheduled reduction in the deduction for foreign-derived intangible income (FDII). Specifically, it modifies Section 250(a)(3) to maintain the deduction percentage for FDII at 37.5 percent instead of reducing it to 21.875 percent as previously scheduled. The intent is to preserve the current level of tax benefits for businesses generating intangible income from foreign sources, thereby encouraging continued innovation and economic growth within the United States.

Next Action: The bill was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Child Rescue Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 8183
Date Introduced: April 30, 2024
Sponsor: Ms. Spanberger
Co-Sponsor(s): Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Owens

Summary: This legislation directs the Attorney General to establish a national working group to study strategies and resource needs for identifying and rescuing children from sexual exploitation and abuse. The working group will gather data on individuals involved in child sexual abuse material and related crimes, estimate the number of victims, and recommend necessary funding, resources, and policing strategies. It will also analyze common reasons for investigative failures, develop guidance for prioritizing cases, and address compliance issues with technology companies. The group will include representatives from various federal, state, and local agencies, NGOs, and subject matter experts and will submit a comprehensive report within a year of enactment.

Next Action: The bill was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Electric Act
House of Congress: House of Representatives
Bill Code: H.R. 8161
Date Introduced: April 29, 2024
Sponsor: Mr. Newhouse
Co-Sponsor(s): Mr. Fulcher, Mr. Bentz, Mr. Rosendale

Summary: This legislation prohibits the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army from retiring any federally operated dam that generates hydropower if such retirement would result in more than a 10 percent increase in customer electricity rates or a 10 percent decrease in regional energy reliability, as determined by the Bonneville Power Administration, across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and California. Additionally, it mandates that any retired energy generation source must have 100 percent of its baseload generation replaced within 30 days. The bill defines "baseload generation" as the minimum electric power supplied to the grid. It specifies the responsibilities of the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the Army regarding their respective operated energy generation sources.

Next Action: The bill was referred to the Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure and Natural Resources.

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