Respect for Essential Workers Act
Action Versus No Action Act This bill limits the scope of certain environmental assessments or impact statements related to forest management activities on National Forest System lands or public lands suitable for timber production to a consideration only of the effects of the forest management activity and the alternative of no action. Specifically, the bill applies to assessments or impact statements prepared by the Department of Agriculture (USDA), with respect to National Forest System lands, or the Department of the Interior, with respect to public lands, for forest management activities that meet at least one of the criteria specified. In the case of the alternative of no action, USDA or Interior shall consider whether to evaluate the effect of no action on, among other things, forest health, wildfire potential, insect and disease potential, and timber production; and the implications of a resulting decline in forest health, loss of habitat diversity, wildfire, or insect or disease infestation on potential losses of life and property, domestic water supply in the project area, and wildlife habitat loss.
Medicare Dental, Vision, and Hearing Benefit Act of 2023 This bill provides for Medicare coverage of dental, vision, and hearing care. Coverage includes (1) routine dental cleanings and exams, basic and major dental services, emergency dental care, and dentures; (2) routine eye exams, eyeglasses, and contact lenses; and (3) routine hearing exams, hearing aids, and exams for hearing aids. With respect to such care, the bill establishes special payment rules, limitations, and coinsurance requirements.
This bill provides states with the authority to name post offices located in the state. The bill makes exceptions with respect to federally named post offices.
Close the Medigap Act of 2023 This bill (1) expands guaranteed issue rights with respect to Medigap policies (Medicare supplemental health insurance policies), (2) eliminates certain limitations on Medigap policies for newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and (3) modifies other provisions related to Medigap policies. (Guaranteed issue rights require that a policy be offered to any eligible applicant without regard to health status.)
Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act This bill generally prohibits federal employees from censoring the speech of others while acting in an official capacity. Specifically, the bill prohibits employees of executive agencies or who are otherwise in the competitive service from (1) using their official authority to influence or advocate for a third party, including a private entity, to censor speech; (2) censoring the speech of any person who has a pending regulatory application with, or is the subject of or a participant in an active enforcement action by, the employee's office; or (3) engaging in censorship while on duty, wearing a uniform, or using official government property. Certain presidential appointees may not censor speech at any time, including outside normal duty hours. Employees are subject to disciplinary action, civil penalties, or both for violations. The bill defines censor or censorship to include ordering or advocating for the removal of lawful speech, the addition of disclaimers, or the restriction of access with respect to any platform (e.g., social media).
Fair Lending for All Act This bill modifies provisions related to prohibited credit discrimination. The bill adds sexual orientation, gender identity, and an applicant's location based on zip code or census tract as classes protected against discrimination with respect to credit transactions. (Currently, discrimination is prohibited on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, or because an applicant receives public assistance.) The bill establishes criminal penalties for violations of prohibited credit discrimination. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is required to review loan applications for compliance with specified consumer laws and to establish an Office of Fair Lending Testing.
Respectful Treatment of Unborn Remains Act of 2025
Professional Pell Education Learning Act or the PROPEL Act This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by allowing students to use these grants for enrollment in educational programs that consist of vocational or technical training, flight training, apprenticeship, or other on-job training. In addition, the bill expands institutional eligibility under the Federal Pell Grant program, including by allowing these vocational and training programs to be unaccredited.
Veterans, Women, Families with Children, Race, and Persons with Disabilities Housing Fairness Act of 2023 or the Housing Fairness Act of 2023 This bill expands efforts to detect and address housing discrimination. Specifically, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must conduct a nationwide testing program to (1) detect and document differences in the treatment of prospective renters, homebuyers, or mortgage borrowers; (2) measure patterns of adverse treatment because of the race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability status, or national origin of a renter, homebuyer, or borrower; and (3) measure the prevalence of such discriminatory practices across housing and mortgage lending markets. The bill also reauthorizes through FY2027 the Fair Housing Initiatives Program, which supports organizations that provide direct assistance to individuals who have been victims of housing discrimination. Additionally, HUD must implement a grant program to assist public and private nonprofit organizations in (1) conducting comprehensive studies on the causes or effects of housing discrimination and segregation, and (2) implementing pilot projects that test solutions to help prevent or alleviate housing discrimination and segregation.