HRES 211 is a procedural resolution that allows the U.S. House of Representatives to debate and vote on three specific legislative measures. It enables consideration of H.J. Res. 25 (which would disapprove an IRS rule requiring brokers to report digital asset sales), H.R. 1156 (which would extend fraud statute of limitations for unemployment programs), and H.R. 1968 (which would fund government operations through September 2025). The resolution waives standard procedural objections and sets time limits for debate on each measure. This resolution itself does not change policy but facilitates the House’s review of these three bills.
HR 1919, the "Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act," prohibits the Federal Reserve from developing, testing, or issuing any central bank digital currency (CBDC) or similar digital assets. It specifically bans the Fed from offering direct financial products to individuals, maintaining individual accounts, or issuing CBDCs directly or indirectly through intermediaries like banks. The bill also blocks the Fed from using any digital asset for monetary policy and clarifies that physical currency's privacy protections remain intact. This policy directly affects the Federal Reserve System's ability to create or manage digital monetary tools.
HR 1717, the Communications Security Act, requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a council within 90 days to advise on securing, reliably operating, and ensuring interoperability of communications networks. The council must include industry representatives (excluding entities deemed a national security threat by the FCC Chair), public interest groups/academia (also excluding "not trusted" entities), and government representatives from federal, state, local, and tribal levels. Council members serve two-year terms, and the group must submit biennial reports to the FCC Chair, which will be made publicly available online. This bill directly affects FCC operations and entities potentially excluded from council membership under national security criteria.
The ANCHOR Act requires the National Science Foundation to develop a plan within 18 months to improve cybersecurity and telecommunications for the U.S. Academic Research Fleet - comprising university- and lab-operated oceanographic research vessels. The plan must assess each vessel's specific needs for internet speed, data transfer, telemedicine, and remote expert access during missions, alongside cost estimates for upgrades like satellite equipment and staff training. It also mandates evaluating shared solutions to reduce costs and outlining funding strategies involving NSF, Navy research offices, and vessel operators. The bill directly affects research vessels conducting ocean science, aiming to modernize their digital infrastructure without altering scientific methods.
The TAKE IT DOWN Act requires major social media platforms and websites hosting user-generated content to establish a 48-hour removal process for nonconsensual intimate visual depictions (including deepfakes) upon verified request. It defines "nonconsensual intimate visual depictions" as images or videos of identifiable people shared without consent, with criminal penalties for sharing such content with intent to cause harm. The law exempts law enforcement activities, medical purposes, and content shared for legitimate educational reasons. Platforms must remove these materials quickly but are protected from liability if they act in good faith. This law directly affects social media companies and individuals whose intimate images are shared without consent.
This bill (SJRES 28) is a congressional resolution that blocks a rule proposed by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB). The rule aimed to define which digital payment companies (like Apple Pay or Google Pay) would be classified as "larger participants" in the market, subject to stricter regulations. By disapproving this rule, Congress ensures it has no legal effect, meaning the CFPB cannot enforce these specific oversight requirements on major digital payment platforms. This directly affects the CFPB’s regulatory authority and digital payment companies that would have been subject to the rule.
HR 881, the DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act, restricts Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding for colleges and universities that maintain relationships with China-funded Confucius Institutes or specific Chinese entities deemed "of concern." It prohibits DHS funding for institutions with ties to Confucius Institutes, the Thousand Talents Program, or Chinese universities involved in military-civil fusion, defense work, Uyghur persecution, election interference, or other activities listed in the bill. Institutions must terminate such relationships within one year of enactment to regain eligibility for DHS funds. The bill requires the DHS Secretary to report to Congress on any institutions violating this funding restriction. (3 sentences)
HR 859 requires manufacturers to clearly state before purchase whether internet-connected consumer devices (like smart speakers or home monitors) contain a camera or microphone. It directly affects device manufacturers, excluding phones, laptops, and dedicated cameras (which consumers reasonably expect to have such features). The Federal Trade Commission enforces this as an unfair/deceptive practice under existing law, with guidance issued within 180 days of enactment. The law applies only to devices made after the FTC issues its guidance, not older models.
This bill requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to adopt specific existing safety standards for lithium-ion batteries used in e-bikes, scooters, and other personal micromobility devices within 180 days of enactment. It mandates that these standards apply only to consumer products as defined by federal law, directly affecting manufacturers of such devices. The bill also establishes a process for the CPSC to review future revisions to these voluntary standards and requires a report to Congress within five years detailing battery-related fire or explosion incidents involving these products. The law aims to standardize safety requirements without creating new rules, relying instead on established industry guidelines.
This joint resolution nullifies requirements for persons effectuating decentralized financial (DeFi) transactions to report certain information regarding digital asset sales to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies the requirements included in the rule titled Gross Proceeds Reporting by Brokers That Regularly Provide Services Effectuating Digital Asset Sales and issued by the IRS on December 30, 2024. Decentralized finance refers to the suite of financial activities and services that are facilitated by cryptocurrency and intended to be conducted without any sort of reliance on traditional financial tools or intermediaries.
