Even as the U.S. Senate was locked in another stalemate over Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the House still passed a handful of bills.
• The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act would require all states to only allow people who present proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote, and to require voters to provide valid photo ID in order to cast a ballot. Up until Wednesday, the bill was entirely different, a measure relating to the Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans with disabilities. The amended version of the bill passed the House 218-213, with one lone Democrat voting in support: Henry Cuellar of Texas. Hawai‘i Reps Jill Tokuda and Ed Case voted against the bill.
• The Law-Enforcement Innovate to De-Escalate Act removes “less-than-lethal projectile devices” — in this case, TASERs — from regulations under the Gun Control Act. The bill passed the House 233-185, with Case and Tokuda in opposition.
• The Undersea Cable Protection Act prohibits the Department of Commerce from blocking any undersea fiber-optic cable project based on environmental concerns. Specifically, if there are concerns that such a cable project could damage resources within a national marine sanctuary, then those concerns are not sufficient to allow the Department of Commerce to deny a permit for the project. The bill narrowly passed the House 218-212; three Democrats voted in favor of the bill, but not Case or Tokuda.
• The Pressure Regulatory Organizations To End Chinese Threats to Taiwan Act, or PROTECT Taiwan Act, would exclude China or Chinese representatives from various international organizations such as the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors if China takes any action that threatens Taiwan’s security. A popular bill, it passed the House 395-2, with Case and Tokuda in support.
• The Bringing Real Accountability Via Enforcement in Burma Act, or BRAVE Burma Act, extends existing economic sanctions on Burma, also called Myanmar, through 2032. Passed the House with no recorded objections.
• The Housing for the 21st Century Act increases financing available for federal affordable housing programs, such as by increasing maximum eligible income limits or increasing maximum loan limits. The bill passed the House 390-9, with Case and Tokuda in support.
• The Bringing the Discount Window into the 21st Century Act requires the Federal Reserve to review its Discount Window Lending Program, which provides short-term loans to banking institutions. Passed the House with no recorded objections.
• The Securing America’s Critical Minerals Supply Act requires the Department of Energy to conduct an assessment of the nation’s energy resource supply chains, its reliance on imports and its vulnerability to foreign undermining. Passed 223-206, with Tokuda and Case in opposition.
• The $2.50 for America’s 250th Act would see the U.S. Mint issue up to 1.15 million $2.50 coins in celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary. The coin would be stamped with the “image of allegorical liberty wielding the Declaration of Independence” on one side and Independence Hall in Philadelphia on the other. Passed the House with no recorded objections.
• The Semiquincentennial Congressional Time Capsule Act, which would bury a time capsule beneath the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center on July 4 of this year, to be opened on the nation’s 500th anniversary in 2276. The contents of the capsule would include a letter by Congressional leadership and “any other item … determined appropriate” that isn’t at risk of degrading over time. Passed the House with no objections and has been sent to the Oval Office.
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