North Dakota Congressional Bills

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Nov 7, 2023

S 3239: PRINTS Act

The PRINTS Act requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to collect fingerprints from noncitizen children under 14 if they suspect trafficking during entry into the United States. It criminalizes using a minor (not a relative or guardian) to gain entry, punishable by fines or up to 10 years in prison. The bill also mandates sharing fingerprints of unaccompanied children with Health and Human Services and requires monthly public reporting on child trafficking apprehensions. These provisions aim to improve trafficking identification and enforcement through standardized data collection and criminal penalties.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Marsha Blackburn (R) · 17 co-sponsors

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Nov 6, 2023

S 3227: Paperwork Burden Reduction Act

This bill allows health insurers and employers to reduce paperwork by shifting from automatically sending annual health insurance statements to individuals to a request-based system. Instead of mailing statements to everyone, these entities must simply provide clear notice that individuals can request a copy. If requested, they must send the statement by January 31 of the following year or 30 days after the request, whichever is later. The change directly affects insurers and employers required to report health coverage under IRS rules, reducing their administrative burden for 2024 and beyond.

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Nov 2, 2023

S 3209: Justice for Angel Families Act

The Justice for Angel Families Act (S 3209) expands federal victim compensation to include "angel families" - immediate family members of homicide victims caused by specific offenders, such as unlawfully present immigrants or members of international drug cartels. It amends the Victims of Crime Act to cover medical, mental health, wage loss, and funeral expenses for these families. The bill also creates a new Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office within Homeland Security to provide victims and families with a dedicated hotline, immigration process support, case referrals, and annual reports tracking crime demographics and locations. These changes directly affect families of homicide victims where the perpetrator falls under the defined categories, aiming to improve access to resources and data collection.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Healthcare ✗ Immigration

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Nov 2, 2023

S 3208: Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act

This bill would change the federal budget process from an annual cycle to a biennial (every two years) cycle. It revises deadlines for key budget actions, requiring the President to submit a biennial budget by February 1st of odd-numbered years and Congress to complete budget resolutions by May 15th. The bill updates numerous references from "fiscal year" to "biennium" throughout budget-related laws, requiring budget resolutions and appropriations bills to cover two consecutive fiscal years. This change would directly affect the President, Congress, and federal agencies, which would need to adjust their budget planning and reporting processes to align with the new biennial cycle starting in 2026.

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Nov 2, 2023

S 3211: Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act

The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act creates 40,000 new employment-based immigrant visas for healthcare workers by recapturing unused visas from fiscal years 1992-2021, with 25,000 reserved for professional nurses and 15,000 for physicians. These visas are exempt from country caps and issued based on priority date, but must be applied for within three years of the bill’s enactment and only for applicants not already eligible under existing visa allocations. The bill also requires employers to attest that hiring foreign workers won’t displace U.S. workers and mandates expedited processing for these applications without additional fees. This policy directly affects nurses and physicians seeking to immigrate for healthcare roles in the U.S., along with their eligible family members.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Immigration

in committee · North Dakota · House Nov 2, 2023

HR 5430: Prohibiting Punishment of Acquitted Conduct Act of 2023

This bill prohibits federal courts from considering acquitted conduct when sentencing defendants. It amends sentencing guidelines to prevent judges from using conduct for which a person was found not guilty (or had charges dismissed) as a basis for punishment, except to potentially reduce a sentence. The law defines "acquitted conduct" as acts where a defendant was acquitted at trial, received a favorable disposition (like dismissal), or was found not responsible in juvenile proceedings. The change applies only to cases where sentencing occurs after the bill's enactment.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

in committee · North Dakota · House Nov 2, 2023

HR 2601: National Human Trafficking Hotline Enhancement Act

HR 2601, the National Human Trafficking Hotline Enhancement Act, requires organizations applying for federal grants under the Trafficking Victims Protection Act to certify they will share hotline information with state or local law enforcement upon request, while following disclosure laws. This directly affects grant applicants, such as anti-trafficking organizations operating the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The key mechanism adds a new certification requirement to grant eligibility, ensuring potential data sharing with law enforcement when appropriate. The bill also mandates a joint report from the Attorney General and DHS Secretary to Congress on how this requirement is implemented. The bill does not change the hotline's operations or victim services.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice

Laurel M. Lee (R) · 20 co-sponsors

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Nov 1, 2023

S 3197: Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2023

The Iranian Sanctions Enforcement Act of 2023 establishes the Iran Sanctions Enforcement Fund, initially funded with $150 million, to cover expenses related to seizures and forfeitures of property connected to sanctions violations by Iran or its designated proxies like Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The fund will pay for law enforcement costs including investigations, detention, equipment, and rewards for informants, with priority given to seizing oil and petroleum products that fund terrorist activities. The bill also creates an Export Enforcement Coordination Center within Homeland Security to better coordinate federal agencies' efforts on sanctions enforcement. Annual reports to Congress will detail fund usage, seizures, and financial status, with the fund required to repay the Treasury $150 million by 2034 unless waived for national security reasons.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Joni Ernst (R) · 28 co-sponsors

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Nov 1, 2023

S 3192: Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act

This bill requires the U.S. Secretary of State to designate Ansarallah (the Houthi group in Yemen) as a Foreign Terrorist Organization within 90 days of enactment, reversing a 2021 Biden administration decision that removed the designation. It mandates the President to impose existing sanctions under two executive orders: blocking assets of designated terrorists (E.O. 13224) and restricting travel for Yemeni nationals linked to terrorism (E.O. 13780). The sanctions directly target Ansarallah, its members, agents, affiliates, and any foreign entities owned or controlled by the group. This would restrict U.S. financial transactions with the Houthis and their networks, while also affecting Yemeni nationals subject to travel bans under the applicable sanctions.

Steve Daines (R) · 29 co-sponsors

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Oct 31, 2023

S 3172: A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to include certain over-the-counter dietary supplement products and foods for special dietary uses as qualified medical expenses.

This bill expands the tax deduction for qualified medical expenses to include dietary supplement products (i.e., nutritional products with labeling relating to their effects on bodily functions) and foods for a special dietary use (i.e., vitamins and minerals). The bill also allows payments from certain tax-preferred spending and reimbursement accounts for these products.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Oct 30, 2023

SJRES 47: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Justice relating to "Office of the Attorney General; Home Confinement Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act".

SJRES 47 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of a Department of Justice rule about home confinement for federal prisoners under the CARES Act. The rule, published in April 2023, would have established guidelines allowing the Justice Department to use home confinement as an alternative to prison for certain inmates during the pandemic. If passed, this resolution would cancel the rule, preventing it from taking effect. It follows the standard process under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, for Congress to reject agency regulations.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice

Marsha Blackburn (R) · 28 co-sponsors

in committee · North Dakota · Senate Oct 26, 2023

SCONRES 23: A concurrent resolution expressing the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to the economy of the United States.

This concurrent resolution expresses the sense of Congress that a carbon tax would be detrimental to families and businesses and would severely harm the economic and national security of the country.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Energy ✗ Environment

North Dakota Congressional Bills

Bill results