This Senate resolution (SRES 25) recognizes January 2023 as "National Mentoring Month" to highlight the importance of mentoring relationships for young people. It acknowledges that one in three U.S. youth lacks a mentor outside their home and emphasizes mentoring's role in improving academic success, mental health, career development, and reducing delinquency. The resolution promotes expanding quality mentoring programs nationwide but does not create new laws or allocate funding. It serves as a symbolic gesture to encourage community, school, and workplace efforts supporting youth development through mentoring.
This bill amends federal law to ensure veterans' benefits paid to a deceased beneficiary are redirected to their estate or rightful heirs, rather than to a fiduciary who misused those funds. It requires the VA to pay benefits first to the veteran's estate, then to a successor fiduciary managing the estate, and finally to a court-determined inheritor. Crucially, the VA cannot pay any benefits under this process to a fiduciary found to have misused the veteran's funds. The policy directly affects veterans' estates, heirs, and fiduciaries managing veterans' benefits, preventing misappropriation of funds after a veteran's death.
S 225, the Stop Settlement Slush Funds Act of 2023, prohibits U.S. federal agencies from including settlement agreements that direct payments to third parties (like charities or community groups) unless the payment directly reimburses harm caused by the settling party or covers services related to the case. The bill requires agencies to report annually to Congress on settlements involving such third-party payments and mandates annual audits by agency Inspectors General for violations. It applies to all federal agencies and settlement agreements entered into after the law's enactment, with reporting requirements starting one year post-enactment and ending after seven years. The law does not create new funding for these reporting or audit tasks.
The No Budget, No Pay Act requires Congress to pass a budget resolution and all regular spending bills by October 1 each fiscal year. If Congress misses this deadline, Members of Congress (including Senators and Representatives) will not receive pay for the period after October 1 until the budget is approved, and they will not receive retroactive pay for that time. The chairs of the budget and appropriations committees in each chamber will determine compliance and certify the pay suspension period. The law takes effect on September 29, 2025.
This bill would allow individuals with valid concealed carry permits from their home state to carry concealed handguns in other states that either permit concealed carry for residents or don't ban it. It requires permit holders to have a government-issued ID, meet federal firearm possession rules, and carry only handguns (excluding machineguns or destructive devices). Carrying would still follow local restrictions in the destination state, such as bans in schools or government buildings. The bill does not change how states issue permits but creates automatic recognition of valid permits across participating states.
HR 804, the Chinese CBDC Prohibition Act of 2023, prohibits U.S. money services businesses (such as banks and payment processors) from handling transactions involving China's central bank digital currency (CBDC). The bill directly affects financial institutions operating in the United States by banning any direct or indirect involvement with the People’s Republic of China’s digital currency. Its key mechanism, added to Title 31 of the U.S. Code, explicitly forbids these businesses from engaging in any transaction related to China’s CBDC. The legislation aims to limit U.S. financial system involvement with a digital currency viewed by its proponents as enabling Chinese government surveillance and control over citizens.
This bill prohibits U.S. financial institutions from engaging in certain energy-related transactions with Russia under existing Treasury authorizations, directly affecting banks and financial entities handling Russian energy deals. It blocks Treasury from authorizing transactions covered by General License No. 8E (related to sanctions on Russia), with limited 90-day waivers allowed only for transactions involving funds owed to Russians to purchase agricultural goods, food, medicine, or medical devices. The restriction automatically expires after five years or 30 days after the President certifies Russia has stopped military actions against Ukraine’s sovereignty. The law aims to prevent Russian energy revenue from supporting ongoing hostilities.
Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act This bill creates new federal crimes related to transporting a minor across state lines for an abortion. Specifically, the bill makes it a crime to knowingly transport a minor across a state line to obtain an abortion without satisfying the requirements of a parental involvement law in the minor's resident state. A parental involvement law requires parental consent or notification, or judicial authorization, for a minor to obtain an abortion. The bill prohibits an individual who has committed incest with a minor from knowingly transporting the minor across a state line to receive an abortion. Finally, the bill makes it a crime for a physician to knowingly perform or induce an abortion on an out-of-state minor without first notifying the minor's parent.
HR 781, the GIG Act, clarifies the definition of an independent contractor under federal law. It adds specific factors the Secretary of Labor must consider when determining if a worker is an independent contractor, such as whether the worker has substantial control over their work, can earn profits or losses based on their initiative, and whether their services require specialized skills performed continuously. The bill explicitly states that the Secretary cannot consider unmet contractual terms or unrelated services when making this determination. This directly affects workers classified as independent contractors and the businesses that hire them, by establishing a clearer, more objective standard for classification. The change aims to reduce misclassification disputes under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
HR 770, the ESP Family Leave Act, amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to create specific eligibility rules for education support professionals and school support staff in public schools and public higher education institutions. It changes the standard FMLA work-hour requirement (1,250 hours) to a new threshold: these workers qualify if they've worked at least 60% of their expected monthly hours for the previous school year. Employers must maintain records of each employee's expected monthly hours, and the bill defines "education support professionals" to include roles like paraeducators, secretaries, custodians, food service workers, security staff, and health support staff. The bill directly affects these support staff members, making it easier for them to qualify for FMLA leave under the revised hours calculation.
HR 765, the African American History Act, authorizes $2 million annually for the National Museum of African American History and Culture to develop educational resources and programs about African American history. The bill directs the museum to create accessible teaching materials, support teacher professional development, and expand digital content for schools and the public, focusing on contributions, civil rights, and historical contexts. It requires annual reports to Congress and expires in 2028. The program directly supports educators, students, and families in learning about African American history through museums, schools, and online platforms.
This bill creates a new federal crime for assaulting law enforcement officers causing serious injury or death, with penalties up to 10 years in prison for serious injury and up to life for aggravated cases involving death, kidnapping, or attempted killing. It applies when offenses involve interstate travel, commerce, or target officers engaged in law enforcement duties. Federal prosecution requires Attorney General certification that state authorities cannot or will not handle the case, or that federal action is necessary for public safety. The law covers all law enforcement officers (state, local, and federal) who enforce criminal laws or detain individuals.
