The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act authorizes the creation of a new Smithsonian museum dedicated to women’s history, to be located within the National Mall Reserve in Washington, D.C. If the site is managed by another federal agency, the bill requires that agency to transfer the land after notifying Congress and relevant committees. The museum must ensure exhibits and programs accurately represent diverse women’s experiences by consulting a broad range of experts and community voices. The Smithsonian will submit biennial reports to Congress detailing how the museum meets these representation standards.
This concurrent resolution directs the President to terminate the use of U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities against Iran or any part of the Iranian government or military unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force for such purpose has been enacted. The resolution specifies that it shall not be construed to prevent the United States from defending itself from imminent attack.
Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act or the ROTOR Act This bill addresses aviation safety by increasing requirements for aircraft tracking and communication using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology and expanding oversight. As background, ADS-B for broadcasting (Out) and receiving (In) transmits information (e.g., location and weather information) between aircraft and air traffic control. Under the bill, aircraft must generally operate with ADS-B In equipment to provide the aircraft with location information of other aircraft and traffic advisories. Current law does not require this equipment. Current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations allow aircraft performing a sensitive government mission to be excepted from requirements for using ADS-B Out equipment. This bill limits which flights may be considered sensitive government missions (e.g., not training flights) and requires additional reporting and notifications for the exception. The Government Accountability Office must review the use of the ADS-B Out exception and the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Transportation must annually audit FAA oversight of operations that use the exception. Further, the bill repeals a 2025 law that exempts certain military helicopters from the ADS-B Out requirements for the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. The bill also requires the OIG of the Army to audit the Army’s coordination with the FAA, the FAA to establish an office to coordinate airspace usage of military aircraft and review the safety of flight operations and routes around airports, and the FAA to enter into memoranda of understanding with military agencies for safety information sharing.
HCONRES 68 would require the President to remove U.S. military forces from Venezuela unless Congress has explicitly authorized their use through a declaration of war or a specific law. This applies to any U.S. Armed Forces currently stationed in Venezuela without such authorization. The resolution is based on the War Powers Resolution, which mandates congressional oversight of military deployments. It directs the immediate withdrawal of unapproved forces without adding new time limits or conditions.
HRES 888 is a proposed resolution to formally censure and condemn Delegate Stacey Plaskett for coordinating with Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender, during a February 2019 congressional hearing. The resolution claims Plaskett received real-time text messages from Epstein with instructions on her questioning during the hearing. If passed, the resolution would remove Plaskett from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and direct the Committee on Ethics to investigate her ties to Epstein. This action directly affects Plaskett, the Delegate from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and addresses alleged misconduct during official congressional proceedings.
This resolution (HRES 1344) formally declares Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of the House of Representatives for failing to produce subpoenaed materials related to the Special Counsel's investigation of President Biden's handling of classified documents. It specifically cites his refusal to turn over "audio tapes" requested by the House Judiciary and Oversight committees on February 27, 2024. The resolution mandates that the Speaker impose a daily $10,000 fine on Garland (payable from his personal funds, not taxpayer money) until he complies with the subpoena. As a procedural resolution - not a law - it addresses a specific dispute over congressional oversight authority, not policy changes.
Senate Joint Resolution 57 seeks congressional disapproval of a Treasury Department rule that set guidelines for the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, a program distributing over $350 billion to state and local governments to address pandemic-related economic impacts. The rule, published in November 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 80584), outlined specific requirements for fund usage. If enacted, this resolution would nullify the rule, preventing it from taking effect and requiring the Treasury to revert to prior administrative guidelines for distributing the funds. The resolution directly affects how the Treasury manages the program and how states and localities access pandemic recovery funds.
This bill (SJRES 43) is a joint resolution seeking to block a Department of Education rule that would have improved income-driven repayment plans for federal student loans. It targets a specific rule (88 Fed. Reg. 43820, July 10, 2023) affecting borrowers in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program and the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. If passed, the resolution would make this rule void, preventing it from taking effect. The resolution uses a specific procedural mechanism under Title 5 of U.S. Code to achieve this disapproval. It directly impacts student loan borrowers who rely on income-driven repayment options.
SJRES 42 is a resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) rule that updated how discrimination complaints are processed in federal food assistance programs (like SNAP). The rule applied the Supreme Court's Bostock v. Clayton County decision - which prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity - to the handling of program discrimination complaints. If passed, this resolution would block the FNS rule from taking effect, preventing it from changing existing complaint procedures. The measure uses the Congressional Review Act process to overturn the rule without altering program benefits or eligibility.
HRES 684 is a symbolic congressional resolution passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on September 14, 2023, condemning New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's emergency order that temporarily suspended open and concealed carry firearm rights for 30 days. The resolution asserts the order violated the Second Amendment, citing Supreme Court precedents (Heller, McDonald, Bruen) and noting a federal judge had already blocked the order's firearm restrictions. It does not change any laws or impose legal consequences - it is solely a formal expression of disapproval from Congress. The resolution directly addresses the Governor's actions but has no effect on New Mexico's laws or citizens' rights.
HJRES 44 is a congressional resolution seeking to block a 2021 rule by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The rule classified firearms with stabilizing braces as "short-barreled rifles," which would have required additional licensing and regulation. This resolution uses a specific legal process (under Title 5, U.S. Code) to formally disapprove the ATF rule, meaning the rule would no longer be in effect. It directly affects firearm owners, manufacturers, and dealers who would have been subject to the rule’s requirements.
This joint resolution nullifies the interim final rule submitted by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security and published on March 29, 2022, concerning procedures for the consideration of asylum claims and other related issues. (Among other changes, the interim final rule requires an asylum seeker subject to expedited removal to be screened by an asylum officer for a credible fear of persecution or torture, rather than a credible fear of persecution, reasonable possibility of persecution, or reasonable possibility of torture.)
