The majority of news from Congress this year didn’t have anything to do with legislation, however lawmakers were able to submit 27 bills to Biden’s desk for his signature. This is a huge drop in productivity in comparison to prior years, even when you compare it to other periods of a divided government.
However, they’re scheduled to begin the new year by introducing a series of bills should they be able to pass it. There are two federal funding deadlines: January. 19 and February. 2. These are issues they could solve through the passage of the annual 12 Federal spending bills.
There are ongoing discussions regarding a foreign aid and immigration reform package, and Biden demands military assistance in Ukraine, Israel and the Indo-Pacific and Republicans call for changes to policy to stop the record flow of people seeking asylum across border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border.
As all that is circulating throughout the country, here’s a rundown of all the things Congress did not pass in 2023, and what it did.
The government should be open to the public and making sure that there is no default
The 3rd of June Congress adopted on June 3, the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 which was a deal to increase the the amount that government officials in the U.S. government is allowed to take out. It was a long-running battle among House Republicans as well as White House officials. White House.
As Republicans struggled to find a agreement on the full-year expenditure bills Congress adopted two temporary measures for funding the federal government The Continuing Appropriations Act on Sept. 30 and the Further Continuing Appropriations Act on November. 16.
The next deadline for government funding are set for January. 19 and February. 2, 2024.
In order to meet the needs of military veterans and service
The month of June was when Congress approved a change in the cost of living adjustment to veterans’ disability payment (Veterans COLA Act) and expanded admissions to military academies assistance program (CADETS Act). In July, Congress authorized the construction of numerous brand new Veterans Affairs facilities (VA Major Medical Facility Authorization Act).
In the autumn, Congress expanded coverage and extended the policies of the various Veterans Affairs programs, including providing coverage to people suffering from spina bifida that are kids of Vietnam veterans (Bills to amend the Title 38).
The additional legislation expands eligibility for benefits to veterans who served during the South Korean army with U.S. troops in Vietnam (Korean American VALOR Act) and requires a VA online record requests website (Wounded Warrior Access Act).
The National Guard and Reservists Debt Relief Extension Act waived some conditions for means-testing in certain servicemembers and reservists in need of bankruptcy relief.
Congress also renamed two VA clinics, and also commissioned coins commemorating celebrating the anniversary of 250 years for the U.S. Marine Corps.
COVID-19, health, safety and COVID-19
The spring of this year, Congress declared an end to the emergency announced by then-President Trump in March 2020. (Relating to the declaration of a national emergency by President Trump). They also directed that the director of National Intelligence to declassify all information about possible links between the Chinese Research Institute and the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19 Origin Act).
The TRANQ Research Act is designed to discover ways to reduce the illicit use of tranquilizer for animals xylazine.
Two laws are aimed at improving U.S. air security (NOTAM Improvement Act) and the organ transplant network (Securing the U.S. Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network Act), while another nullified a local Washington D.C. criminal law to reform justice (Disapproving the actions that District of Columbia Council District of Columbia Council in adopting the Revised Criminal Code Act).
Education in the field of hunting and reform
Schools are now able to buy “dangerous weapons” to aid in education or enrichment activities, such as archery and hunting as per the Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act.
The Duck Stamp Modernization Act digitizes certain aspects of government bureaucracy that is that is associated with federal hunting regulations.
Potpourri
The Providing Transparency through Accountability Act requires federal regulations that include short summaries of the rules which should be no longer than 100 words.
Another law, known as the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Transfer Act creates the Pala Band of Mission Indians Land Trust, a federal land trust, in those belonging to the Pala Band of Mission Indians in California.
The United Americas-Taiwan Initiative on 21st-Century Trade First Agreement Implementation Act as you can imagine, is a trade agreement between U.S. and Taiwan.
A bill amending the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 expands the power of federal elections authorities to penalize campaigns that fail to disclose obligations for another ten years.
The 5G SALE Act allows the government to examine applications to use areas of electromagnetic spectrum auctioned off for use in the month of March 2023.
The most significant headlines did not have anything to do with the law
Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. McCarthy was sacked by his coworkers in his position as the Speaker of House and then decided to leave Congress.
George Santos, R-N.Y. was kicked out of his colleagues due to a string of fabricated stories about his past along with 23 Federal criminal convictions relating to fraud.
Senator. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. He has thus far refused to step down after being charged by federal prosecutors with receiving bribes for corrupt actions in order to commit corrupt actions as well as providing secret information for the authorities of Egypt.
Then, assistance in Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan is stalled because of differences on immigration policies – talks are in progress between a select group of Senators However, it’s likely that no agreement will be signed until the end of next year.
