The White House: The Joseph Cao Administration

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

My view in the case of the federal government's leadership of regional initiatives is generally that whenever such leadership is necessary, it's best to give the regions as much room as possible to work out the best possible plan within a given framework that outlines the aims and approximate parameters that need to be hit. Childcare is an area where their proximity to the ground is essential to create a workable and beneficial bill for Atlasian parents and this bill does what it needs to do in that regard. With this signing I continue to look forward to the implementation of past and future regional efforts to provide the best possible care for our kids.

Childcare Opportunity Act

An act to provide affordable and effective childcare options to all Atlasians -

This Act may be cited as the “Child Care for Working Families Act”.

Section 1. Purposes

a. To ensure that no low- to moderate-income family pays more than 7 percent of its household income on child care.

b. To support working parents in making their own decisions regarding the child care services that best suit their family’s needs.

c. To support productive, high-quality, and inclusive childcare for all children and those with disabilities.

d. To provide before- and after-school and summer care services for school-age children.

e. To help child care programs meet evidence-based or national standards to improve the quality of child care.

f. To support regionwide systems to support the needs of infants and toddlers with disabilities, better coordinate child care and other services, and assist regions in increasing the number of child care providers that provide high-quality and inclusive care to families of infants or toddlers with disabilities and families of children with disabilities.

Section 2. Eligibility.

1. Application for Appropriations
Plan Requirement

i. SUPPORTING WORKING PARENTS.—Support working parents by providing assurances that the government supports their needs to provide their children with the best opportunities possible.


ii. to enroll such child with a child care provider who has received a child care certificate from such parent or parents;”;


iii. the region’s tiered and transparent system for measuring the quality of child care providers.

iv. to establish a description of the national standards or other equally rigorous and evidence-based standards tied to child outcomes that the regions use.

v. to establish the payment rates referred for providers at each tier of such system; and

vi the number and percentage of eligible providers at each tier of such system, in total and disaggregated by geographic location.

vii. information on opportunities for staff of child care providers to improve their skills and credentials, including information about training opportunities and professional organizations that provide such training.”;

2. TIERED AND TRANSPARENT SYSTEM FOR MEASURING THE QUALITY OF CHILD CARE PROVIDERS.—The regional plan shall describe how the region will develop or revise with input from child care providers, from families, and from organizations representing child care directors, teachers, and other staff, within 3 years after the date of submission of the regional application, systems for measuring the quality of eligible child care providers who provide services for which assistance is made available under this subchapter, that consist of—
a tiered and transparent system for measuring the quality of eligible child care providers who serve eligible children, that—
applies to eligible child care providers (except providers of family, friend, or neighbor care that elect to be covered under clause (ii));

includes a set of standards, for determining the tier of quality of a child care provider, that—
uses other equally rigorous and evidence-based standards that are tied to child outcomes;

includes indicators that are appropriate for different types of providers, including child care centers and family child care providers, and are appropriate for providers serving different age groups (including mixed age groups) of children, while maintaining a high level of quality child care by all of the different types of providers and for all of the different age groups (including mixed age groups);

includes a different set of standards that includes different indicators, to be applied, when appropriate, for care during nontraditional hours of operation; and

in conjunction with the increasing payment rates under paragraph (4) (increasing due to factors specified in paragraph (4) such as the cost estimation model and quality basis for payment rates), provides for sufficient resources to enable standards at the entry tier for such system to increase in rigor over time; and

a separate system of quality standards for providers concerning developmentally appropriate and age-appropriate care that applies to eligible child care providers of family, friend, or neighbor care (except such providers that elect to be covered.

3. PROHIBITION ON CHARGING MORE THAN COPAYMENT.—The regional plan shall provide that, after the systems described are in effect, child care providers receiving financial assistance under this subchapter may not charge the family of an eligible child more than the total of—

a. the financial assistance provided to the family under this subchapter; and

B. any applicable copayment

4. POLICIES TO SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES AND INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES.—The regional plan shall provide a description of how the region will ensure that eligible child care providers, except for providers of family, friend, or neighbor care that elect to be covered will prioritize children with disabilities and infants and toddlers with disabilities for slots in programs carried out by the providers; and
 
3. PAYMENT RATES.—
IN GENERAL.—The regional plan shall—

I. certify that payment rates for the provision of child care services for which assistance is provided in accordance with this subchapter—

II. will be based on a cost estimation model that is described.

III. will correspond to differences in quality based on the region’s tiered and transparent system for measuring the quality of child care providers.
 
5. COST ESTIMATION MODEL.—The regional plan shall—

a. demonstrate that the region has, after consulting with the entities and individuals described, developed and used a statistically valid and reliable cost estimation model for the rates of such child care services in the Region

b. for providers at each of the tiers of the Region's tiered and transparent system for measuring the quality of child care providers described in paragraph (which rates reflect variations in the cost of child care services by geographic area, type of provider, and age of child, and the additional costs associated with providing high-quality and inclusive child care services for children with disabilities and infants and toddlers with disabilities); and

c. demonstrate that the region prepared a detailed report containing the child care costs estimated with the region cost estimation model pursuant to clause (i), and made the estimated costs widely available (not later than 30 days after the completion of the estimation) through periodic means, including posting the estimated costs on the Internet;

d. describe how the region will set payment rates for child care services, for which assistance is provided in accordance with this subchapter—

e. in accordance with the most recent estimates from the most recent cost estimation model used pursuant to clause
(i), so that providers at each tier of the tiered and transparent system for measuring program quality receive payment that is not less than the cost of meeting the requirements of such tier; and

II. that maintain an effective and diverse workforce by ensuring wages for staff of child care providers that—

III. are comparable to wages for elementary educators with similar credentials and experience in the State; and

IV. at a minimum, provide a living wage for all staff of child care providers;

V. describe how the State will provide for timely payment for child care services provided under this subchapter.

6. PAYMENT PRACTICES.—The regional plan shall include:

a. a certification that the payment practices of child care providers in the State that serve children who receive assistance under this subchapter reflect generally accepted payment practices of child care providers in the State that serve children who do not receive assistance under this subchapter, including the practice of paying the providers the payment rate described based on the number of children enrolled and not the number of children in daily attendance, so as to provide stability of funding and encourage more child care providers to serve children who receive assistance under this subchapter; and

b. an assurance that the region will implement enrollment and eligibility policies that support the fixed costs of providing child care services by delinking provider payment rates from an eligible child’s occasional absences due to holidays or unforeseen circumstances such as illness.
 
7. SLIDING SCALE FOR COPAYMENTS.

a. IN GENERAL.—The regional plan shall provide an assurance that the region will require:

(i) a family receiving assistance under this subchapter to pay the copayment.

(ii) another entity to pay the copayment on behalf of the family, voluntarily or in accordance with Federal law.

SLIDING SCALE.—Such copayment shall be based on a sliding scale that provides that, for a family with a family income

“(i) of not more than 75 percent of regional median income, the family shall not pay a copayment, toward the cost of the child care involved for all eligible children in the family;

“(ii) of more than 75 percent but not more than 100 percent of regional median income, the copayment shall be more than 0 but not more than 2 percent of that family income, toward such cost for all such children;

iii. of more than 100 percent but not more than 125 percent of regional median income, the copayment shall be more than 2 but not more than 4 percent of that family income, toward such cost for all such children; and

iv. of more than 125 percent but not more than 150 percent of regional median income, the copayment shall be more than 4 but not more than 7 percent of that family income, toward such cost for all such children.


Section 3. Compensation and Appropriations

1. Compensation.—The plan shall provide a description of the State’s wage ladder for staff of eligible child care providers, and an assurance that wages for such staff.

2. Stakeholders.—The plan shall demonstrate how the regions will facilitate participation of staff of eligible child care providers in organizations that foster the professional development and stakeholder engagement of the child care workforce.

3. Appropriations - Congress authorizes the following amounts to be appropriated as block grants to the regions and there are appropriated to carry out an amount of $20,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2023.

Passed 9-2-1-6 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

We're not going to let any huge sudden increases in electricity prices be thrust all the way down to people who have to pay the bills. The Atlasian people and everyone struggling to make ends meet deserve protection from stuff like this. Certainly the producers partially responsible for price increases in the vast majority of such cases can stand to absorb some of the shock in their stead.

ELECTRICITY PRICE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT

1. FERC is hereby prohibited from approving any Regional Transmission Organization (RTO) request to increase transmission costs by more than four percent (4%) in any year or by more than ten percent (10%) in any five (5) year period.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Passed 12-1-0-5 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

There have been several regional and federal bills tackling the vital issue of digital data handling, though this one establishes new best practices for a particular type of transaction that has flown under the radar or been federally addressed in the broadest of terms. So it is good to see a bill that fleshes out that much-needed detail to prevent our data from being sold off without our consent and protects the Atlasian people's privacy online.

DATA BROKERS ARE PARASITES ACT

A. A consumer may invoke the consumer rights authorized pursuant to this act at any time by submitting a request to a controller specifying the consumer rights the consumer wishes to invoke. A known child's parent or legal guardian may invoke such consumer rights on behalf of the child regarding processing personal data belonging to the known child. A controller shall comply with an authenticated consumer request to exercise the right:

1. To confirm whether or not a controller is processing the consumer's personal data and to access such personal data;

2. To correct inaccuracies in the consumer's personal data, taking into account the nature of the personal data and the purposes of the processing of the consumer's personal data;

3. To delete personal data provided by or obtained about the consumer;

4. To obtain a copy of the consumer's personal data that the consumer previously provided to the controller in a portable and, to the extent technically feasible, readily usable format that allows the consumer to transmit the data to another controller without hindrance, where the processing is carried out by automated means; and

5. To opt out of the processing of the personal data for purposes of (i) targeted advertising, (ii) the sale of personal data, or (iii) profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning the consumer.

B. Except as otherwise provided in this act, a controller shall comply with a request by a consumer to exercise the consumer rights authorized pursuant to section A as follows:

1. A controller shall respond to the consumer without undue delay, but in all cases within 45 days of receipt of the request submitted pursuant to the methods described in section A. The response period may be extended once by 45 additional days when reasonably necessary, taking into account the complexity and number of the consumer's requests, so long as the controller informs the consumer of any such extension within the initial 45-day response period, together with the reason for the extension.

2. If a controller declines to take action regarding the consumer's request, the controller shall inform the consumer without undue delay, but in all cases and at the latest within 45 days of receipt of the request, of the justification for declining to take action and instructions for how to appeal the decision pursuant to section C.

3. Information provided in response to a consumer request shall be provided by a controller free of charge, up to twice annually per consumer. If requests from a consumer are manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive, the controller may charge the consumer a reasonable fee to cover the administrative costs of complying with the request or decline to act on the request. The controller bears the burden of demonstrating the manifestly unfounded, excessive, or repetitive nature of the request.

4. If a controller is unable to authenticate the request using commercially reasonable efforts, the controller shall not be required to comply with a request to initiate an action under subsection A and may request that the consumer provide additional information reasonably necessary to authenticate the consumer and the consumer's request.

5. A controller that has obtained personal data about a consumer from a source other than the consumer shall be deemed in compliance with a consumer's request to delete such data pursuant to subsection A 3 by opting the consumer out of the processing of that data for targeted advertising, sale, or profiling pursuant to subsection A 5.

C. A controller shall establish a process for a consumer to appeal the controller's refusal to take action on a request within a reasonable period of time after the consumer's receipt of the decision pursuant to subsection B 2. The appeal process shall be conspicuously available and similar to the process for submitting requests to initiate action pursuant to section A. Within 60 days of receipt of an appeal, a controller shall inform the consumer in writing of any action taken or not taken in response to the appeal, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decisions. If the appeal is denied, the controller shall also provide the consumer with an online mechanism, if available, or other method through which the consumer may contact the Attorney General to submit a complaint.

D. As used in this act:

1. Consumer means a natural person who is a resident of Atlasia acting only in an individual or household context. It does not include a natural person acting in a commercial or employment context.

2. Controller means the natural or legal person that, alone or jointly with others, determines the purpose and means of processing personal data obtained in interregional commerce.

E. This act shall take effect forty-five (45) days from the date of passage.

Passed 11-0-0-7 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Higher education fees have been out of control for a long time and adversely impacted the students at home and abroad who depend upon our institutions for quality learning. By drawing an additional source of federal revenue, this bill encourages our colleges and universities to think more carefully about their budgets and put some of their funds forward to assist students instead of saddling them with massive debt from tuition inflation that requires years if not decades to be paid forward.

TAX THE WOKE ACT

SECTION I: NAME

1. This act shall be referred to as Tax the Woke Act

SECTION II: TAXES

1. Beginning in fiscal year 2023 there shall be levied a minimum tax of 1% on the investment earnings of any private college or university that has at least 500 tuition-paying students and net endowment assets of at least $500,000,000.

2. The investment tax shall increase by 1 percentage point per each additional $1,000,000,000 in total investments held by a university endowment fund.

3. Beginning in fiscal year 2023 the ability of tax filers to deduct Regional taxes or State and Local taxes (SALT) is hereby eliminated.

4. No corporation, LLC, or business enterprise that is required to file and pay a tax on net business income may deduct the cost of luxury fringe benefits provided to employees as a business expense for purposes of calculating net income. For purposes of this act, luxury fringe benefits shall mean any complimentary tangible benefit exceeding $10 per employee per year that an employer provides to an employee that is not necessary for the employee to perform his or her job. Luxury fringe benefits includes but are not limited to complimentary towels, alcohol, mixed beverages, meal and snack services, promotional items, tickets to sporting or other entertainment events, entertainment performances, limousine services, private use motor vehicles, vessels, or aircrafts, spas, quiet rooms, cry closets, and crayons and coloring books.

5. For purposes of income taxation, any money received by a person resulting from any online tutorial, video, podcast, song, picture, post, or other content created by such person and uploaded to the internet shall be treated as taxable income, if the cumulative amount of such money exceeds $1,000.00 annually. This includes but is not limited to any advertising revenue earned and any donation, tip, superchat, or subscription fee.

Passed 11-0-0-7 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Earlier we gave the relevant federal agencies some guidance on handling regional spikes in electricity prices, with an emphasis on protecting Atlasians from the worst effects of such spikes. This legislation comes the other way to assist the regions with lowering electricity costs directly by fixing existing deficiencies in our electricity generation and funding new sources and operations. In tandem with the preceding bill and previous bills by my predecessors, we are continuing to tackle electricity costs and enable the nation to warm up for the holidays without fear.

Affordable Energy Act

Section 1. Purpose

1. This bill is to provide for a less costly energy grid because many areas of Atlasia precluded from benefiting from earlier efforts made by the federal government to invest in rural electrification throughout regions.

a) This bill will provide for interconnection of regional electrical grids are not interconnected to those in other states or territories, and many communities in the state have isolated microgrids.

b) This bill will fix the isolation of many electric systems throughout the regions. This means that consumers in communities served by those systems cannot benefit from a reduction in energy bills by utilizing lower-cost power from other areas of the state;

c) This bill is intended to lower the average retail price of electricity where in rural communities this is the highest. The average cost of electricity per capita is $3,891.

d) The bill, through the energy authority, will reduce high energy costs for heating, electricity, and transportation that have a multiplying effect, which increases the cost of all goods and services in rural communities.

e) Many residents in communities with the highest power costs are unable to shoulder the financial burden of developing large-scale power infrastructure without significant government investment;

f) The bill will establish for lower carbon emissions through the development of economically feasible renewable energy projects and investment in an electric vehicle charging network.

Section 2. Implementation

a. BE IT RESOLVED that the Congress of the Republic mandates a creation of a national Energy Authority, in coordination with utility providers throughout the regions and with statewide power and electrical organizations.

b. This energy authority will develop a comprehensive 10-year infrastructure plan to reduce power costs by 25% in areas of the regions that endure extremely high electric and heating costs.

c. Be it FURTHER RESOLVED that Congress requests that the Energy Authority deliver a plan for the reduction of power costs in the region to the Senate by May 31, 2023, and notify the legislature that the plan is available.

d. The Congress hereby establishes a energy sustainability fund, this fund will be appropriated the amount of $50,000,000.

Section 3. Grant criteria

a. A "grant" shall be defined as a sum of money awarded for an energy related project in any of Atlasia's regions.

b. These grants shall be categorical in nature by funding upgrades to Atlasia's regional energy grids, for projects to reduce carbon emissions, increase electrical grid inter-connectivity.

c. Grants can only be made available for energy-related projects that will have substantial impact or effect upon the electrical grid in each region.

d. Eligible entities: Grants can be allotted for subsidies or incentives to regional energy companies, nonprofits, or independent contractors

Section 4. Funding

a. The Congress of the Republic of Atlasia will appropriate $25,000,000 in grants to each region for the establishment of a regional energy authority; these grants shall be up for renewal every 5 years.

b. Hereafter, the Congress shall appropriate monies to the amount of an additional $20,000,000 to establish electrical vehicle charging stations across Atlasia's regions.

Passed 11-0-0-7 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

This bill creates much-needed jobs and busy work for our nation by employing Wulfricist traitors to the Republic in an additional guardrail to ensure our federal agencies can state clearly, transparently, and to the letter where the costs of their proposals are coming from and how the Atlasian people will be able to pay for them. We have been a fiscally responsible nation in the past and we can stride further in that direction, and this bill is a fine pollution of the public sphere with the garbage of ensuring those handling Atlasia's finances have the ability to count. A small cabal of leaders wanted very badly to kill this bill; with it we are bringing a measure of transparency and accountability back to this nation's government and continuing the decades of progress and hard work on that front. I'm happy to sign this.

REGULATORY PROCESS REFORM ACT

A SENATE BILL
To reform the process of regulations being implemented by executive agencies
Be it enacted

Section I: Title

1. This bill shall be called the Regulatory Process Reform Act.

2. This act shall take effect thirty (30) days from the date of passage.

Section II: Process Changes

1. A cost benefit analysis shall be required to be done of any regulations proposed by an executive agency before the regulation gets implemented.

2. Any regulation deemed to have a higher cost than a benefit, shall not be implemented unless that regulation is approved by statute.

3. Future Regulations which are implemented are required to periodically have a cost benefit analysis every five (5) years after implementation to see if the benefits of the regulation outweigh the costs.
 

Passed 5-4-1-8 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

As far as I am concerned, and this may vary for some members of the Senate, protecting Atlasians' privacy online does not preclude them or others employing less privacy-invading means to exercise their rights to defend themselves or their property. We're not going to have social credit scores here. To those objecting, find some less dystopian ways to defend yourself from the criminals that are apparently lining up to violate your right to privacy.

As an aside there are nine not voting. Nine! I understand the PPT has been having some trouble turning people up to vote (and at least that effort is being made) but extensions of the voting period never hurt anyone. Certainly far better to have those than the two-minute votes we've seen in the past.

STOPPING SURVEILLANCE ACT

1. No person who rents or leases real property pursuant to a federal program shall require the renter or lessee or any agent or invitee thereof to use a cellphone or other internet application in order to enter or access the real property, nor limit entry or access to such real property to any person based on a criminal background check, a credit report, or a social credit rating, score, or other determination of societal value calculated by a computer algorithm.

A. A violation of this paragraph shall be a misdemeanor punishable by disgorgement of any profits, imprisonment for no more than 1 year, and a fine of $10,000.00 per individual person whose rights were violated. Any technology used to commit a crime under this paragraph shall be subject to forfeiture. Any data collected in violation of this paragraph shall be subject to forfeiture.

B. A person whose rights were unlawfully violated pursuant to this paragraph may maintain a civil action to recover actual damages, punitive damages of up to $10,000, reasonable legal costs, and any equitable relief necessary to enforce this act.

2. No federal department, agency, or contractor shall violate the privacy of another by using or permitting a toilet owned by him to perform or conduct a scan or analysis of any part of the body or bodily fluid or waste product of another person, nor shall any such toilet be used to collect data on any other person, nor shall any data obtained from such toilet be sold or transferred to another.

A. This shall not apply if the person using the toilet affirmatively consents to the scan, analysis, collection, sale, or transfer. Requiring consent as a condition of using such toilet shall not be considered affirmative consent.

B. A violation of this provision shall be a misdemeanor punishable by disgorgement of any profits, imprisonment for no more than 4 years, and a fine of $40,000 per individual person whose data was sold. Any toilet used to commit a crime under this paragraph shall be subject to forfeiture. Any data collected in violation of this paragraph shall be subject to forfeiture.

C. A person whose privacy was unlawfully violated pursuant to this paragraph may maintain a civil action to recover actual damages, punitive damages of up to $10,000, reasonable legal costs, and any equitable relief necessary to enforce this act.

3. This act shall take effect 50 days from the enactment

Passed 9-0-0-9 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

I want to note the key word here: "lawfully" should be as good an indicator as any that people who aren't breaking the law are by definition not engaging in activities that should invite legal penalties, and given some tendencies flying around of late (stretching back a few years in fact) I welcome this very clear statement of this very clear state of affairs.

HOBBYISTS PROTECTION ACT

SECTION I: Definitions

a. A firearm is milled or manufactured when within the territory of Atlasia, a drill press or other metal cutting tool is used on an unpunched lower receiver, to successfully enable the receiver to accept all of the necessary parts required of a functional firearm.

SECTION II: Hobbyist Protections

a. Any citizen who mills or manufactures a firearm shall not be prosecuted for failing to engrave a serial number on the newly manufactured firearm provided the firearm is never commercially transferred.

b. Any citizen who is eligible to own a firearm and who does not sell firearms as a regular source of income, may sell a firearm that they have milled or manufactured to any other person who is also eligible to own a firearm, provided that firearm be engraved with a serial number as otherwise required by law.

c. Any person lawfully selling a firearm shall be allowed access the NICS database through an online portal to request a background check to determine if a potential customer is eligible to own the firearm. This online portal shall be made available no later than July 4, 2023.

d. The regulation limiting the importation of otherwise lawful handguns with two (2) inch barrels is hereby eliminated. 27 CFR 478.113a and ATF Forms 6A and 4590 shall be amended accordingly.

SECTION III: Time

a. Unless otherwise provided herein, this act shall take effect 30 days from the date of passage.

Passed 9-1-0-8 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

I love democracy, and I think labor organizations do too, and certainly the workers do, and given recent debate around voting periods in the Senate I am confident that the Senators do as well and will show up to vote promptly and on time with the PPT's understanding. I consider this bill a win for democratic participation in one of our oldest and most robust forms of communication between our government and the people it serves.

PROTECT WORKERS, NOT LABOR ACT

1. No collective bargaining agreement or employment contract entered into in Atlasia shall be permitted to prioritize layoffs, promotions, hirings, firings, pay scales, severance packages, or any other bargaining term based upon any protected class status protecting by federal law; nor shall any such agreement or contract require participation by a party thereto in any training, activity, or event that is segregated on the basis of such a protected class. Any existing agreement or contract that violates this act is hereby declared to be against the public policy of Atlasia and is null and void.

2. No union, bargaining agent, guild, or other labor organization shall limit the right of any member thereof to institute an action in any court, or in a proceeding before any administrative agency, irrespective of whether or not the labor organization or its officers are named as defendants or respondents in such action or proceeding, or the right of any member of a labor organization to appear as a witness in any judicial, administrative, or legislative proceeding, or to petition any legislature or to communicate with any legislator, or to speak publicly to anyone on any matter of public concern or pertaining to employment or labor issues provided that:

A. Any such member may be required to exhaust reasonable hearing procedures (but not to exceed a four (4) month lapse of time) within such organization, before instituting legal or administrative proceedings against such organizations or any officer thereof.

3. No member of any union, bargaining agent, guild, or other labor organization may be fined, suspended, expelled, or otherwise disciplined by such organization except for severe nonpayment of dues.

4. In any election conducted pursuant to federal law for the certification or decertification of a union, guild, or other labor organization as an exclusive bargaining unit, the right of the workers to vote in such election by Australian ballot (aka secret ballot) shall not be infringed; and no such certification or decertification of such an organization as an exclusive bargaining unit shall occur except upon the affirmative vote by a majority of such workers, selected by Australian ballot and counted openly and publicly immediately after such vote.

5. Any provision of the constitution and bylaws of any labor organisation that is inconsistent with the provisions of this section shall be of no force or effect.

6. This act shall take effect thirty (30) days from the date this legislation is passed.

Passed 8-1-0-9 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Coming as I do from an area that has invested billions into the cutting edge of genetic data collection with no signs of stopping, I understand probably second to none the imperative we have here in this country to protect the rights of our citizens as this becomes an ever more relevant part of everyday life. Laying down the law for the most visible indicator of that industry that currently operates on a wide scale here is a good start.

DNA SEQUENCING PRIVACY ACT

TITLE I: DEFINITIONS.

1. "Affirmative authorization" means an action that demonstrates an intentional decision by a consumer.

2. "Biological sample" means any material part of the human, discharge therefrom, or derivative thereof, such as tissue, blood, urine, or saliva, known to contain deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).

3. "Consumer" means a natural person who is a resident of Atlasia.

4. "Dark pattern" means a user interface designed or manipulated with the substantial effect of subverting or impairing user autonomy, decision-making, or choice.

5. "Deidentified data" means data that cannot be used to infer information about, or otherwise be linked to, a particular individual, provided that the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company (i) takes reasonable measures to ensure that such information cannot be associated with a consumer or household; (ii) publicly commits to maintain and use such information only in deidentified form and not to attempt to reidentify the information, except that the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company may attempt to reidentify the information solely for the purpose of determining whether its deidentification processes satisfy the requirements of this clause, provided that the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company does not use or disclose any information reidentified in this process and destroys the reidentified information upon completion of that assessment; and (iii) contractually obligates any recipients of the information to take reasonable measures to ensure that the information cannot be associated with a consumer or household and to commit to maintaining and using the information only in deidentified form and not to reidentify the information.

6. "Direct-to-consumer genetic testing company" means an entity that (i) sells, markets, interprets, or otherwise offers consumer-initiated genetic testing products or services directly to consumers; (ii) analyzes genetic data obtained from a consumer, except to the extent that the analysis is performed by a person licensed in the healing arts for diagnosis or treatment of a medical condition; or (iii) collects, uses, maintains, or discloses genetic data that is collected or derived from a direct-to-consumer genetic testing product or service or is directly provided by a consumer.

7. "Express consent" means a consumer's affirmative authorization to grant permission in response to a clear, meaningful, and prominent notice regarding the collection, use, maintenance, or disclosure of genetic data for a specific purpose.

8. "Genetic data" means any data, regardless of its format, that results from the analysis of a biological sample from a consumer, or from another element enabling equivalent information to be obtained, and concerns genetic material. Genetic material includes deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA), ribonucleic acids (RNA), genes, chromosomes, alleles, genomes, alterations or modifications to DNA or RNA, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). "Genetic data" includes uninterpreted data that results from the analysis of the biological sample and any information extrapolated, derived, or inferred therefrom. "Genetic data" does not include (i) deidentified data or (ii) data or a biological sample to the extent that data or a biological sample is collected, used, maintained, and disclosed exclusively for scientific research conducted by an investigator with an institution that holds an assurance with the federal government, in compliance with all applicable federal, regional, and State laws and regulations for the protection of human subjects in research.

9. "Genetic testing" means any laboratory test of a biological sample from a consumer for the purpose of determining information concerning genetic material contained within the biological sample, or any information extrapolated, derived, or inferred therefrom.

10. "Service provider" means a sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, association, or other legal entity that is organized or operated for the profit or financial benefit of its shareholders or other owners that is involved in (i) the collection, transportation, and analysis of the consumer's biological sample or extracted genetic material (a) on behalf of the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company or (b) on behalf of any other company that collects, uses, maintains, or discloses genetic data collected or derived from a direct-to-consumer genetic testing product or service or directly provided by a consumer or (ii) the delivery of the results of the analysis of the biological sample or genetic material.


TITLE II: EXCLUSIONS


1. This act shall not apply to any of the following:

A. Protected health information that is collected, maintained, used, or disclosed by a covered entity or business associate governed by the privacy, security, and breach notification rules issued by the Atlasian government, established pursuant to the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act;

B. A covered entity governed by the privacy, security, and breach notification rules issued by the Atlasian government, established pursuant to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, , and the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, to the extent that the covered entity maintains, uses, and discloses genetic information in the same manner as protected health information;

C. A business associate of a covered entity governed by the privacy, security, and data breach notification rules issued by the Atlasian government, established pursuant to the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, to the extent that the business associate maintains, uses, and discloses genetic information in the same manner as protected health information;

D. Scientific research or educational activities conducted by a public or private nonprofit institution of higher education that holds an assurance with the Atlasian government, to the extent that such scientific research and educational activities comply with all applicable federal, regional, and State laws and regulations for the protection of human subjects in research;

E. Any newborn screening program established pursuant to law;

F. Tests conducted exclusively to diagnose whether an individual has a specific disease, to the extent that all persons involved in the conduct of the test maintain, use, and disclose genetic information in the same manner as protected health information; or

G. Genetic data used or maintained by an employer, or disclosed by an employee to an employer, to the extent that the use, maintenance, or disclosure of such data is necessary to comply with a local, State, regional, or federal workplace health and safety ordinance, law, or regulation.


TITLE III: CONSUMER INFORMATION


1. Every direct-to-consumer genetic testing company shall provide to consumers:

A. A summary of the company's (i) policies and procedures related to the collection, use, maintenance, retention, disclosure, transfer, deletion, and security of and access to genetic data and (ii) privacy practices;

B. Information regarding the requirement for consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of genetic data and the process for revoking consent;

C. Notice that a consumer's deidentified genetic or phenotypic data may be shared with or disclosed to third parties for research purposes in accordance with federal law; and

D. Information about the process by which a consumer may file a complaint alleging a violation of this act.

2. Information required to be made available pursuant to this title shall be written in plain language and shall be provided to consumers together with any genetic testing product provided to consumers. Such information shall also be included on any website maintained by the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company in a manner that is easily accessible by the public.


TITLE IV: CONSENT


1. Express consent required pursuant to this act requires a statement of the nature of the data collection, use, maintenance, or disclosure for which consent is sought in plain and prominent language that an ordinary consumer would notice and understand and an affirmative authorization by the consumer granting permission in response to such statement. Express consent shall not be inferred from inaction. Agreement obtained through dark patterns does not constitute express consent.

2. Every direct-to-consumer genetic testing company shall obtain a consumer's express consent for the collection, use, and disclosure of the consumer's genetic data, including, at a minimum, separate and express consent for each of the following:

A. The use of genetic data collected through the genetic testing product or service offered to the consumer. Express consent for such use of genetic data shall include a statement describing who will receive access to the genetic data, how such genetic data will be shared, and the purposes for which such data shall be collected, used, and disclosed;

B. The storage of a consumer's biological sample after the initial testing required by the consumer has been completed;

C. Each use of genetic data or the biological sample beyond the primary purpose of the genetic testing or service and inherent contextual uses;

D. Each transfer or disclosure of the consumer's genetic data or biological sample to a third party other than a service provider, including the name of the third party to which the consumer's genetic data or biological sample will be transferred or disclosed; and

E. Any marketing or facilitation of marketing to a consumer based on the consumer's genetic data or marketing or facilitation of marketing by a third party based on the consumer's having ordered, purchased, received, or used a genetic testing product or service, except that a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company shall not be required to obtain a consumer's express consent to marketing to the consumer on the company's own website or mobile application based on the consumer having ordered, purchased, received, or used a genetic testing product or service from that company if (i) the advertisement does not depend on any information specific to that consumer other than information regarding the product or service that the consumer ordered, purchased, received, or used; (ii) the placement of the advertisement does not result in disparate exposure to advertising content on the basis of a protected class under the Southern Constitution; and (iii) the advertisement of a third-party product or service is clearly labeled as advertising content, is accompanied by the name of the third party that has contributed to the placement of the advertisement, and, if applicable, indicates that the advertised product or service and claims regarding the product or service have not been vetted or endorsed by the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company.

3. Every direct-to-consumer genetic testing company shall provide a mechanism by which a consumer may revoke express consent, which shall include an option for revocation of consent through the primary medium through which the company communicates with consumers.

4. Revocation of express consent by a consumer shall comply with the requirements of federal law. Upon revocation of express consent required herein by a consumer, a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company shall (i) honor such revocation of express consent as soon as is practicable but in all cases within 30 days of receipt of such revocation and (ii) destroy the consumer's biological sample within 30 days of receipt of revocation of the consumer's express consent to store such sample.


TITLE V: OTHER REQUIREMENTS


1. Every direct-to-consumer genetic testing company shall:

A. Implement and maintain reasonable security procedures and practices to protect a consumer's genetic data against unauthorized access, destruction, use, modification, or disclosure; and

B. Develop procedures and practices to allow a consumer to easily (i) access the consumer's genetic data; (ii) delete the consumer's genetic data, except any data required by state or federal law to be retained by the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company and any account the consumer may have created with the direct-to-consumer genetic testing company; and (iii) revoke consent to storage of the consumer's biological sample and request destruction of such biological sample.

2. Every direct-to-consumer genetic testing company that enters into a contract with a service provider shall prohibit the service provider from retaining, using, or disclosing the biological sample, extracted genetic material, genetic data, or any information regarding the identity of the consumer, including whether the consumer has solicited or received genetic testing, as applicable, for any purpose other than for the specific purpose of performing the services specified in the contract with the service provider for the business.

3. Every contract between a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company and a service provider shall include:

A. A provision prohibiting the service provider from retaining, using, or disclosing the biological sample, extracted genetic material, genetic data, or any information regarding the identity of the consumer, including whether the consumer has solicited or received genetic testing, as applicable, for a commercial purpose other than providing the services specified in the contract with the service provider with the business; and

B. A provision prohibiting the service provider from associating or combining the biological sample, extracted genetic material, genetic data, or any information regarding the identity of the consumer, including whether the consumer has solicited or received genetic testing, as applicable, with information the service provider has received from or on behalf of another person or has collected from its own interaction with consumers or as required by law.


TITLE VI: OTHER PROHIBITED DISCLOSURES AND ACTS


1. Except as provided herein, no direct-to-consumer genetic testing company shall disclose a consumer's genetic data to any entity that is responsible for administering or making decisions regarding health insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, or employment or any entity that provides advice to such an entity.

2. A direct-to consumer genetic testing company may disclosure a consumer's genetic data or biological sample to an entity described above if:

A. The entity is not primarily engaged in administering health insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, or employment;

B. The consumer's genetic data or biological sample is not disclosed to the entity in that entity's capacity as a party that is responsible for administering, advising, or making decisions regarding health insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, or employment; and

C. Any agent or division of the entity that is involved in administering, advising, or making decisions regarding health insurance, life insurance, long-term care insurance, disability insurance, or employment is prohibited from accessing the consumer's genetic data or biological sample.

3. No person or public entity shall discriminate against a consumer on the grounds that the consumer has exercised any of the rights granted by this act with regard to:

A. Providing or denying any good, service, or benefit to the consumer;

B. Charging any different price or rate for any good or service provided to the consumer, including through the use of discounts or other incentives or imposition of penalties;

C. Providing a different level or quality of goods, services, or benefits to the consumer;

D. Suggesting that the consumer will receive a different price or rate for goods, services, or benefits or a different level or quality of goods, services, or benefits; or

E. Considering the consumer's exercise of rights pursuant to this chapter as a basis or suspicion of criminal wrongdoing or unlawful conduct.


TITLE VII: ENFORCEMENT AND ENACTMENT


1. The Attorney General or his designee shall have exclusive authority to enforce the provisions of this act.

2. Any person who negligently violates the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount not to exceed $1,000 plus court costs, as determined by the court. Any person who willfully violates the provisions of this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty in an amount not less than $1,000 and not more than $10,000 plus court costs, as determined by the court.

3. Each violation of this act is a separate and actionable violation.

4. The provisions of this act shall not reduce a direct-to-consumer genetic testing company's duties, obligations, requirements, or standards under any applicable federal law for the protection of privacy and security.

5. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of this chapter and any other provision of law, the provisions of the law that afford the greatest protection for the right of privacy for consumers shall control.

6. Nothing in this act shall be construed to affect access to information made available to the public by the consumer.

7. This act shall take effect sixty (60) days from the date of passage.

Passed 13-0-0-5 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

As far as I am concerned the duty of the popularly elected fiscal conservative should be to promote fiscally conservative policies that help the people who elected them, and this bill makes a concerted effort to get our big corporations to recognize that they too are not going to live and die by their profits and need some level of focus on the people who sustain their existence. This is especially the case now that the material losses from that myopia have been demonstrated in the realm of inflation and entanglements with other bodies that have goals antithetical to ours and theirs, and the like. We're not in Kansas any more, haven't been for decades. It's time the business community recognizes that. If they need a kick in the pants to do so, we as Federalists will be more than happy to give it to them.

SENATE BILL

To rebalance legal obligations of corporate boards and to prioritize domestic business operations, and other purposes.

Be it Enacted in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,

BULLMOOSE ACT

1. The officers and governing board of any publicly traded stock corporation incorporated in Atlasia hereby possess a fiduciary duty to make business decisions as a reasonably prudent investor would for the benefit of the corporate shareholders. Accordingly no such officer or board member shall make business decisions on behalf of the corporation based off environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors, personal political viewpoints, or personal bias nor shall any such officer or board member make a public statement on behalf of the corporation supporting or opposing a public policy that does not directly affect the corporation. Any shareholder shall be entitled to iniate a shareholder derivative class action lawsuit against any officer or board member violating this paragraph to seek damages and legal costs. For purposes of this section, decisions made that prioritize domestic businesses and workers over foreign businesses and workers, the national interest, legal compliance, and patriotism to Atlasia shall not be considered a prohibited factor that violates the duty as a prudent investor.

2. The officers, agents, and employees of any financial investment company or fund that manages finances for persons in Atlasia hereby possess a fiduciary duty to make investment decisions as a reasonably prudent investor would for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the investments. Accordingly no such officer, agent, or employee shall make investment decisions on behalf of the company or fund based off ESG factors, personal political viewpoints, or personal bias nor shall any such officer, agent, or employee make a public statement on behalf of the company or fund supporting or opposing a public policy that does not directly affect the corporation. Any beneficiary shall be entitled to iniate a beneficiary derivative class action lawsuit against any officer, agent, or employee violating this paragraph to seek damages and legal costs. The Atlasian government therein shall transfer any financial assets it has deposited or invested with a financial investment company or fund that violates this provision within six (6) months of such violation. Any financial investment company or fund that manages finances for persons in Atlasia shall be prohibited from casting proxy votes on behalf of beneficiaries when such company or fund owns more than 1% of a particular company’s voting securities. In such case the individual passive investors shall be responsible for casting votes. For purposes of this section, decisions made that prioritize domestic businesses and workers over foreign businesses and workers, the national interest, legal compliance, and patriotism to Atlasia shall not be considered a prohibited factor that violates the duty as a prudent investor.

3. The officers, agents, and employees of any shareholder proxy voting firm or company that advises on corporate shareholder proxy voting for persons in Atlasia hereby possess a fiduciary duty to make business decisions as a reasonably prudent investor would for the benefit of the contracted shareholders. Accordingly no such officer, agent, or employee shall cast or recommend any proxy vote or make business decisions on behalf of the firm or company based off ESG factors, personal political viewpoints, or personal bias nor shall any such officer, agent, or employee make a public statement on behalf of the firm or company supporting or opposing a public policy that does not directly affect the contracted shareholders. Any shareholder contracted with such firm or company shall be entitled to iniate a shareholder derivative class action lawsuit against any officer, agent, or employee violating this paragraph to seek damages and legal costs.
For purposes of this section, decisions made that prioritize domestic businesses and workers over foreign businesses and workers, the national interest, legal compliance, and patriotism to Atlasia shall not be considered a prohibited factor that violates the duty as a prudent investor.

4. No publicly traded stock corporation incorporated in Atlasia shall be permitted to maintain any bylaw or policy that discriminates in board composition or employment against any protected class under the Constitution, including but not limited to bylaws or policies mandating race or sex quotas or mandatory retirement ages.

5. Any Business Trust Series or Real Estate Investment Trust created pursuant to federal law that owns real property or engages in commerce within any region in Atlasia shall be deemed to consent to personal jurisdiction to be sued in such region and shall make publicly available the names and contact information of the Trust's beneficiaries, trustee, and address for service of process, regardless of if such Trust was organized in such Region or not.

 6. Any limited liability company (LLC) that owns real property or engages in commerce within any region shall be deemed to consent to personal jurisdiction to be sued in such region and shall make publicly available the names and contact information of the LLC's manager, beneficiaries, and address for service of process, regardless of if such LLC was organized in such region or not.

7. If an officer, board member, manager, trustee, employee, or agent of any partnership, corporation, LLC, or trust commits any illegal fraud or an intentional tort under federal, regional, or State law, and the assets of such entity are insufficient to cover the legal damages, any person upon filing a civil suit shall be permitted to pierce the veil of the entity and join the officer, board member, manager, trustee, employee, or agent as a defendant to such suit.

8. It shall be considered an illegal antitrust violation for any foreign country or any investment firm or financial management service, other than a financial institution, to own or hold an ownership stake exceeding 10% in more than 50,000 residential rental properties or in more than 50,000 acres of commercial farmland. The Attorney General may prosecute such violations which shall be punishable by a fine of $10,000.00 per day. A court of competent jurisdiction shall also order any appropriate equitable relief, including but not limited to the divestment of residential rental properties or commercial farmland exceeding the cap.

9.This act shall take effect 120 days from the date of passage.

Passed 8-5-0-5 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Having worked with the sponsor on other comprehensive legislation in the past I've known firsthand that many of Koopa's bills are motivated by a concern for the common Atlasian, and this particular one follows on from an initiative that our regions have taken the lead on in the past. More than happy to sign it and keep our drinking water safe and prevent any more of the incidents that have caused unnecessary suffering for Atlasians as recently as a few years ago.

GET THE LEAD OUT ACT

A BILL FOR AN ACT

keeping Atlasian families safe by funding the removal of lead from drinking water

BE IT ENACTED BY THE ATLASIAN SENATE.

1. $1 Billion in direct grants shall be awarded by the Atlasian Environmental Protection Agency through fiscal year 2026 to fund the replacement of lead pipes and pipes using lead solder that are polluting drinking water. This shall include the repair and/or replacement of public and private water service lines, the inspection of public and/or private water service lines, and corrosion control programs to optimize public and/or private water service lines.

2. To fund this program a special tax is hereby assessed on the net income of Lead Acid Battery manufacturers, sellers, and recyclers at 2% through fiscal year 2026 at which time such tax shall expire.

3. This act shall take effect immediately.

Passed 12-1-0-5 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

The downstream effects of inflation on things like consumer confidence and credit status are going to hit harder down the road if we don't try to safetyproof how Atlasian consumers are currently interacting with the system. It simply makes sense to give people a longer leash here when they're in the middle of trying to make ends meet.

Credit Act of 2022

1. As used in this act:

A. Consumer credit report means any written, oral, or other communication of any information by a consumer reporting agency bearing on a consumer’s credit worthiness, credit standing, credit capacity, character, general reputation, personal characteristics, or mode of living which is used or expected to be used or collected in whole or in part for the purpose of serving as a factor in establishing the consumer’s eligibility for credit or insurance to be used primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, employment purposes, or any other purpose authorized by law.

B. Consumer reporting agency means any person which, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer credit reports to third parties.

C. Person shall include but not be limited to banks, credit unions, financial institutions, State or local governments, and business entities when such person is providing financing for any transaction that is to occur or substantially occur in Atlasia, or that is secured by property located in Atlasia, or that is financing an activity, enterprise, or venture that is to occur or substantially occur in Atlasia.

2. No consumer reporting agency operating in Atlasia shall make and transmit to any person, any consumer credit report containing any of the following items of information:

A. Civil suits and civil judgments that, from date of entry, predate the report itself by more than five years.

B. Paid tax liens which, from date of payment, predate the report by more than 5 years.

C. Accounts placed for collection or charged to profit and loss which predate the report by more than 5 years.

D. Any other adverse item of information, other than records of convictions of crimes which predates the report by more than five 5 years.

The five 5 year period referred to herein shall begin, with respect to any delinquent account that is placed for collection (internally or by referral to a third party, whichever is earlier), charged to profit.

3. The provisions of this act are not applicable in the case of any consumer credit report to be used in connection with:

A. a credit transaction involving, or which may reasonably be expected to involve, a principal amount of $200,000 or more;

B. the underwriting of life insurance involving, or which may reasonably be expected to involve, a face amount of $200,000 or more; or

C. the employment of any individual at an annual salary which equals, or which may reasonably be expected to equal $100,000 or more.

4. Any provision herein found to be unconstitutional by a court of proper jurisdiction shall be severable from the remainder of this act.

5. This act shall take effect January 1, 2023.

Passed 9-0-1-8 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

We've passed versions of bills that combat workplace racism in the past and I think that this continues in that vein with the addressment of some especially pernicious institutionalized viewpoints. It's up to the government to help set an example for upholding our nation's constitution however we can. And so we shall.

STOP RACISM ACT

a. No commercial enterprise in Atlasia with twenty-five (25) or more employees that conducts business in Atlasia may use race, ethnicity, religion, income, sex, gender, or political ideology as a factor in hiring, tenure, or promotion. No such enterprise shall require or inquire of any applicants or employees about commitments to or affirmations of the dismantling of oppressive systems, promotion of social equity, or advancement of diversity. This provision shall also apply to any educational institution, including student applicants seeking admission to a school or program, which receives federal funding, however religious non-profits shall be exempt.

b. No federal agency, nor any entity, school, college, university, or contractor receiving federal funding, may use diversity training or employee questionnaires which which promote racist concepts including but not limited to that:

1. one race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex;

2. an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, biased, oppressive, or responsible whether consciously or unconsciously;

3. an individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of his or her race or sex;

4. members of one race or sex cannot and should not attempt to treat others without respect to race or sex;

5. an individual's moral character is necessarily determined by his or her race or sex;

6. an individual, by virtue of his or her race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex;

7. any individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of his or her race or sex;

8. meritocracy, market-based economics, or traits such as a hard work ethic or timeliness are racist or sexist, or were created by members of a particular race to oppress members of another race;

9. Atlasia, its constitution and bill of rights, its government, its Regions, or its history is fundamentally racist or sexist.

c. Any worker who is subject to a prohibited questionnaire or training may report such to an appropriate official without facing retaliation for such report. This whistleblower shall be entitled to a reward of up to $1,000 and any worker who experienced discomfort during such a prohibited questionnaire or training can be granted compensation of up to $100. All such fines must come from the diversity budget within the department or organization that conducts such prohibited questionnaire or training.

d. Any diversity administrator hired by a department of the federal government shall have a salary cap equivalent to the annual average human resources administrator salary.

e. This Act shall go into effect ten (10) days from the date of passage.

Passed 9-1-0-8 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

I don't think either of the Senators were with me at the time, but back last June I met members of the state trucking association in Alexandria, LA who we were able to talk with for a few hours, and even then there was talk of doing something about the price increases that were being carried down to the consumer because of delays at the trucking stage. The regional government was the first to act later that month and I'm sure they and other truckers across Atlasia will be happy that this bill lets the regional and local governments who better understand their individual concerns take a bigger role in helping bring prices down if they so choose, since we in the federal government are finally doing our part.

TRUCKING PRICE INFLATION PREVENTION ACT

1. 49 CFR 390.19 shall be amended to only require motor carriers to only complete a "Motor Carrier Identification Report" (form MCS-150) at the following times:

A. Before the carrier begins operation; and

B. Every 24 months thereafter, in accordance with the schedule in 49 CFR 390.19.

2. 49 CFR part 385 shall be amended to allow safety investigations to be conducted in compliance with the Regional law of the region in which such vehicle is registered.

3. 49 CFR part 387, subpart A, 387.7 and 387.9 shall be amended to exempt from the minimum level of financial responsibility for for-hire motor carriers motor carriers transporting hazardous material.

4. 49 CFR 382 shall be amended to exempt marijuana and cannabis from the list of prohibited controlled substances.

5. 49 C.F.R §§ 390-399 shall be amended to permit Regions to opt out of such regulations.
 
6. This act shall take effect April 1, 2023.

Passed 9-1-0-8 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Any of you tried to buy a show ticket recently? There's more minefields in that process than I can count. It absolutely needs greater transparency and a few standards for vendors to hold themselves to and I for one am grateful that this bill is giving it to them so that old farts like you or me won't have to shell out exorbitant prices plus our personal data just to get seats to see the Bears.

TICKETMASTER IS A RIPOFF ACT

1. As used in this Act, the following definitions apply:

A. ancillary charges means all fees that must be paid in order to secure a ticket from a primary ticket seller or secondary ticket marketplace, including service fees, convenience charges, parking fees, taxes and other charges.

B. base price means the price charged for a ticket other than any ancillary charges.

C. box office means a physical location where tickets are offered for primary sale.

D. bundled series tickets means packages of tickets for multiple events that are part of the same entertainment series.

E. distribution method means the manner in which a primary ticket seller distributes tickets to a particular event, whether through primary sale, limited presale promotions, donations to charity, reservations of season ticket holders, or allocated to the primary ticket seller, team, artist, or venue.

F. primary sale with regards to a ticket, means the initial sale of a ticket that has not been sold previous to such sale, by a primary ticket seller to the general public on or after the advertised date of such sale.

G. primary ticket seller means an owner or operator of a venue or a sports team, a manager or provider of an event, or a provider of ticketing services (or an agent of such owner, operator, manager, or provider) that engages in the primary sale of tickets for an event or retains the authority to otherwise distribute tickets.

H. purchaser means any person who purchases a ticket from a primary ticket seller or a secondary ticket sales marketplace.

I. resale or secondary sale, with regards to a ticket, mean any sale of a ticket that occurs after the primary sale of the ticket.

J. secondary ticket sales marketplace means a business, including a website, software application for a mobile device, any other digital platform, or portion thereof, of a physical seller whose primary purpose is to facilitate the resale of tickets to purchasers.

K. ticket means a ticket of admission to a sporting event, theater, musical performance, or place of public amusement of any kind, including bundled series tickets.

2. The following shall apply to any interregional ticket sold in Atlasia:

A. All primary ticket sellers shall disclose the total number of tickets for sale to the general public within seven (7) days of tickets becoming available for sale.

B. All primary ticket sellers must disclose any ancillary charges to customers before they select a ticket for purchase. The price of the ticket cannot change during the purchase process based off demand response.

C. All primary ticket sellers must include all ancillary charges in any refund provided.

D. No primary ticket sellers may restrict a purchaser from reselling tickets.

E. Any primary ticket seller may impose a cap on how many tickets any person may purchase.

F. No primary ticket seller may institute a price floor on reselling tickets.

G. All primary ticket sellers must disclose any guarantee or refund policy at the time of sale.

H. All secondary market companies must verify that the secondary ticket reseller is in possession of a ticket, or has made clear the secondary ticket reseller does not possess the ticket with an explanation on how to obtain a refund if the purchaser receives a ticket that does not match the description.

I. All online resale marketplaces must disclose to any purchaser when the secondary seller is the primary ticket seller, venue, team, or artist associated with the event.

J. All secondary market companies must disclose any ancillary charges to customers before they select a ticket. In addition, ticket sellers must display the total cost including all ancillary charges in price quotes and advertisements. The price of the ticket cannot change during the purchase process based off demand response.

K. All secondary ticket sales marketplaces must disclose the face value of each ticket, the location of the tickets seat or space, and the date and time of purchase if the secondary ticket sales marketplace purchased the ticket during a public sale.

L. All secondary ticket sales marketplaces must if it guarantees delivery of tickets to a purchaser and if it fails to deliver the tickets requires a full refund be provided for the total cost of the ticket, including all ancillary charges.

M. All secondary ticket sales marketplaces must disclose to any person purchasing a ticket any delivery guarantee policy.

N. No secondary ticket sales marketplace may make any representation of affiliation or endorsement with a venue, team, or artist, without the express written consent of the venue, team, or artist.

O. All online secondary ticket sales marketplaces, must publish a clear and conspicuous notice that they are engaged in the secondary sale of tickets at the time of sale.

P. The secondary sale of tickets by individual employees of venues, primary ticket sellers, teams, artists, online resale marketplaces, or box offices that are involved in hosting, promoting, performing in, or selling tickets shall be prohibited if the sale is or knows will be sold at a higher price than the primary sale of the ticket.

Q. No reseller shall sell a ticket for the same seat to more than one (1) person at the same time.

R. No person shall be sanctioned or denied admission to an event because a ticket was resold or gifted.

S. No secondary market company, secondary ticket sales marketplace, or online secondary ticket sales marketplace shall hold more than a 60% market share of its respective industry for greater than one (1) year. A violation of this provision shall constitute an anti-trust violation.

3. The Attorney General and the FTC may enforce violations of these rules as unfair or deceptive acts prescribed under section 18(a)(1)(B) of the Federal Trade Commission Act.

4. Regional and State Attorneys General may bring a civil action on behalf of their residents if they have reason to believe that their residents will be adversely affected by a violation of this act.

5. Any person wronged by a violation of this act may bring a civil lawsuit for an injunction or damages and may recover from such person damages for such injury plus $1,000 for each violation for up to five (5) years from any violation.

6. This law shall not preempt or supersede any Regional regulation that is stricter than this act.

7. This act shall take effect forty (40) days from the date of passage.

Passed 8-2-0-8 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

This government, like its predecessors, was built specifically against the danger of any leader overstepping their power in any respect. We have checks and balances, we have branches of government that are supposed to communicate and work with one another, we have devolved authorities in the regions and in local government that all hew to the deeply Federalist principle of keeping power from being concentrated in the hands of a single position, because as we've seen time and time again nothing good ever happens from that. Someone on a power trip may still try to consolidate as much of it as possible as we saw in April most recently. But with this bill in place the Senate has said once again, in the face of desperate opposition from the loudest remaining cheerleaders of that power tripping no less, that we don't stand for that kind of thing here in these parts. Delighted to sign this.

SENATE BILL

To reduce abuse of power by the executive branch in the use of military force

Be it Enacted in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,

POSSE COMITATUS PROTECTION ACT

1. No activity, including the provision of any equipment or facility or the assignment or detail of any personnel, shall include or permit direct participation by a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, or other federal armed forces in a search, seizure, arrest, or other similar activity or general police power, unless participation in such activity by such member is otherwise expressly authorized by law. For purposes of this section, other federal armed forces includes but is not limited to the National Guard when under federal chain of command. For purposes of this section, other similar activity or general police power, includes but is not limited to the enforcement of any drug law, the enforcement of any quarantine, mass vaccination, or mass incarceration of citizens or lawfully present aliens, or the performance or facilitation of any abortion; however the performance of border patrol activities or the detainment of unlawfully present aliens shall not be prohibited, pursuant to law.

2a. Whenever there is an insurrection in any Region against its government or the government of a State or locality therein, the President may, upon the request of the Governor of the Region concerned, call into Federal service such of the militia of the other Regions or States, in the number requested by the Governor of the Region concerned, and use such of the armed forces, as the President considers necessary to suppress the insurrection.

2b. The President may not invoke the authority under this section unless the President, the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General certify to the Senate that the Governor of the Region concerned has requested the aid described to suppress an insurrection. Such authority shall lapse within ten (10) days unless an extension is approved by a majority vote of the whole Senate. The President shall not be permitted to redeploy armed forces under this section after this ten (10) day period against the same insurrection without prior approval by a majority vote of the whole Senate.

3a. Whenever violent obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion against the authority of Atlasia, make it impracticable to enforce the laws of Atlasia in any State by the ordinary course of judicial proceedings, and the Governor of the Region in which such State is located requests aid in or expressly refuses to disperse or desist such violent obstructions, combinations, or assemblages, or rebellion, the President may call into Federal service such of the militia of any other State or Region, and use such of the armed forces, as the President considers necessary to enforce those laws or to suppress the rebellion.

3b. The President may not invoke the authority under this section unless the President, the Secretary of State, and the Attorney General certify to the Senate that the Region in which the State concerned is located has requested such aid or is unable or unwilling to suppress the violent obstruction, combination, or assemblage, or rebellion against the authority of Atlasia. A certification under this paragraph shall include:

i. A description of the circumstances necessitating the invocation of the authority under this section.

ii. Demonstrable evidence that the Region concerned has requested aid or is unable or unwilling to suppress such unlawful obstruction, combination, or assemblage, or rebellion against the authority of Atlasia, and a legal justification for resorting to the authority under this section to so suppress.

iii. A description of the mission, scope, and duration of use of members of the armed forces under this section.

3c. Such authority, when at the request of the Governor of the Region concerned, shall lapse within ten (10) days unless an extension is approved by a majority vote of the whole Senate. The President shall not be permitted to deploy armed forces under this section without the request of the Governor of the Region concerned or redeploy armed forces under this section after this ten (10) day period against the same violent obstruction, combination, or assemblage, or rebellion, without prior approval by a majority vote of the whole Senate.

3d. A Region that has lawfully seceded or exercised its authority pursuant to the laws of Atlasia shall not be considered a violent obstruction, combination, or assemblage, or rebellion under this act.

4.The President, in every possible instance, shall consult with the Senate before invoking the authority under this act. Correspondingly, any request by the President to the Senate made pursuant to this act shall be expeditiously considered by the Senate, and shall immediately come to the floor for debate and vote regardless of if there are any empty legislative slots available at the time of the request.

5. Notwithstanding, and without prejudice to, any other provision of law, any individual or entity, including a Regional, State, or local government, that is injured by, or has a credible fear of injury from, the use of members of the armed forces under this act may bring a civil action for declaratory or injunctive relief to the Supreme Court. In any action under this section, the Supreme Court shall have jurisdiction to decide any question of law or fact arising under this act, including challenges to the legal basis for members of the armed forces to be acting under this act. It shall be the duty of the Supreme Court to advance on the docket and to expedite to the greatest possible extent the disposition of any matter brought under this section.

6. The President may not avoid any of the provisions of this act by authorizing the militia or armed forces of a Region to enter into the territory of another Region, without the request of the Governor of such other Region, outside of the federal chain of command. Any such authorization shall be considered an activity or deployment subject to the provisions of this act.

7. The National Guard of Nyman shall be subject to the command of the government thereof to the same extent as any other State.

8. 10 U.S.C. 251 -  253 and 10 U.S.C. 275 are hereby repealed and replaced by this act.

9. This act shall take effect immediately.

Passed 8-4-0-6 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT.

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Since the Administration did have a small hand in this bill aside from lending it our full support while it was being hashed out, I think by right Scott and Sirius ought to be here while this gets signed, but they're off in the Rockies keeping an eye on the situation with access to food and supplies for folks there on the ground. We in the administration are doing something similar here with a resource just as valuable to the national interest in its own way, and in light of things like the recent Taiwan situation and other developing hotspots in Africa and the like it's only reasonable that we take what steps we can as an authority on the world stage to ensure the safety of our access to rare earths. With that kind of position I don't intend to put our country in a position to be extorted or bullied in order to continue our research or development or industry. So we are doing what we can here to promote job creation and retention in this area, working toward resource independence, helping our allies abroad do the same, and creating a strategic reserve to help support all this. Atlasian jobs are open for business and I invite Atlasian workers to help strengthen our nation through their continued work.

DOMESTIC RARE EARTH METALS ACT

TITLE I: DEFINITIONS

1. In this Act:

A. Concentrated rare earth element means a rare earth element that has been extracted or separated from raw materials and concentrated.

B. Covered entity means a private entity, a consortium of private entities, or a consortium of public and private entities with a demonstrated ability to substantially finance, construct, expand, or technologically upgrade a covered facility.

C. Covered facility means a facility located in a State that carries out the metallurgy of rare earth elements for the production of finished rare earth products.

D. Covered incentive means an incentive offered by a Federal, Regional, State, local, or Tribal governmental entity to a covered entity for the purposes of constructing within the jurisdiction of the governmental entity a covered facility; or expanding or technologically upgrading an existing facility within that jurisdiction to be a covered facility; and a workforce-related incentive, including a grant agreement relating to workforce training or vocational education, any concession with respect to real property, funding for research and development with respect to rare earth elements and finished rare earth products, and any other incentive determined appropriate by the Secretary of State.

E. Finished rare earth product means a product composed of metal powders, such as rare earth oxides and rare earth salts, including chlorides and nitrates;  metals containing rare earth elements; alloys; or magnets; and any other value-added product that is composed fully or partially of rare earth elements.

F. Foreign entity means a government of a foreign country and a foreign political party; a natural person who is not a lawful permanent resident of Atlasia; a citizen or national of Atlasia; or any other protected individual (as defined in section 274B(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3))); and a partnership, association, corporation, organization, or other combination of persons organized under the laws of or having its principal place of business in a foreign country. The term foreign entity includes: any person owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign entity; any person, wherever located, who acts as an agent, representative, or employee of a foreign entity; any person who acts in any other capacity at the order, request, or under the influence, direction, or control, of a foreign entity; or a person the activities of which are directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed, or subsidized in whole or in majority part by a foreign entity; any person who directly or indirectly through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise, owns 25 percent (25%) or more of the equity interests of a foreign entity; any person with significant responsibility to control, manage, or direct a foreign entity; any person, wherever located, who is a citizen or resident of a country controlled by a foreign entity; and any corporation, partnership, association, or other organization organized under the laws of a country controlled by a foreign entity.

G. Foreign entity of concern means any foreign entity that is designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Secretary of State under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1189); included on the list of specially designated nationals and blocked persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the Department of the Interior; owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction, direction, or otherwise under the undue influence of a government of a covered nation (as defined in section 2533c(d) of title 10, U.S.C.); alleged by the Attorney General to have been involved in activities for which a conviction was obtained under 18 U.S.C. 37 (commonly known as the ``Espionage Act''); 18 U.S.C. 951 or 1030; (iii) 18 U.S.C. 90 (commonly known as the ``Economic Espionage Act of 1996''); the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.); sections 224, 225, 226, 227, or 236 of the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 U.S.C. 2274- 2278; 2284); or the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); or  determined by the Secretary if State, to be engaged in unauthorized conduct that is detrimental to the national security or foreign policy of Atlasia under this Act.  

H. Metallurgy means the process of producing finished rare earth products from concentrated rare earth elements.

I. Processed or refined means any process by which raw rare earth metals are changed, mixed, or otherwise manipulated to render the metal usable for manufacturing everyday items, including computer chips or circuit boards.

J. Rare earth element means a natural element associated with the metallic element scandium, with atomic number 21; the metallic element yttrium, with atomic number 39; or any of the series of 15 metallic elements between lanthanum, with atomic number 57, and lutetium, with atomic number 71, on the periodic table.

K. Rare earth metals means beryllium, cerium, cobalt, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, graphite, holmium, lanthanum, lithium, lutetium, manganese, neodymium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, scandium, tantalum, terbium, thulium, tungsten, ytterbium, and yttrium.

TITLE II: STRATEGIC RESERVE

1. It is the policy of Atlasia to provide for the establishment of a strategic rare earth metals and rare earth metal products reserve.

2. Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Internal Affairs and the Secretary of State shall determine the strategic requirements of Atlasia regarding stockpiles of rare earth metals and processed and refined rare earth metal products; and the requirements for such metals and products to support Atlasia for one (1) year in the event of a supply disruption. In determining this need, they shall take into consideration the needs of the Armed Forces, the defense industrial and technology sectors, and any places, organizations, physical infrastructure, or digital infrastructure designated as critical to the national security of Atlasia.

2. Not later than two (2) years after the determination is made, the government shall take such actions as are necessary to procure all types of rare earth metals and processed and refined rare earth metal products in appropriate quantities to support the strategic requirements described in the determination.

3. $10 billion is hereby appropriated for such purposes. Any unneeded funds shall be deposited back into the treasury after two (2) years.

TITLE III: COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING

1. The Secretary of State shall require that any contractor that provides to the Department of State a system with a rare earth metal permanent magnet disclose, along with delivery of the system, the provenance of the magnet.

2. A disclosure under this title shall include an identification of the country or countries in which the rare earth metals used in the magnet were mined; the rare earth metals were refined into oxides; the rare earth metals were made into metals and alloys; and the magnet was sintered or bonded and magnetized.

3. If a contractor cannot make the disclosure required by this title with respect to a magnet, the Secretary shall require the contractor to establish and implement a supply chain tracking system in order to make the disclosure not later than 180 days after providing the magnet to the Department of State.

TITLE IV: NO CHINESE METALS IN MILITARY SYSTEMS

1. The Secretary of State shall require that, for any contract entered into or renewed on or after December 31, 2025, for the procurement of a system the export of which is restricted or controlled under the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2751 et seq.), no rare earth metals processed or refined in the People's Republic of China may be included in the system.

2. The Secretary may waive the restriction under this title upon a determination that rare earth metals of sufficient quantity and quality are not available at reasonable prices from sources outside of the People's Republic of China; and such a waiver is in the interests of national security.

TITLE V: UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES

1. Not later than ninety (90) days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State, shall initiate an investigation under title III of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2411 et seq.) to determine whether acts, policies, and practices of the Government of the People's Republic of China related to technology transfer, intellectual property, or innovation with respect to rare earth metal mining, separation, metallization, alloying, or magnet manufacturing, or related processes, are acts, policies, and practices described in subsection (a) or (b) of section 301 of that Act (19 U.S.C. 2411).
 

[Joseph Cao]

TITLE VI: DOMESTIC PRODUCTION

1. The Secretary of the Interior shall establish a program to provide Federal financial assistance to covered entities to incentivize investment in covered facilities, subject to the availability of appropriations for that purpose.

2. In order for a covered entity to qualify for financial assistance under this title, the covered entity shall demonstrate to the Secretary that the covered entity has a documented interest in constructing a covered facility; or expanding or technologically upgrading a facility owned by the covered entity to be a covered facility; and with respect to the project for which the covered entity is seeking financial assistance, the covered entity has been offered a covered incentive; made commitments to worker and community investment, including through training and education benefits paid by the covered entity; and programs to expand employment opportunity for economically disadvantaged individuals; secured commitments from regional educational and training entities and institutions of higher education to provide workforce training, including programming for training and job placement of economically disadvantaged individuals; and an executable plan to sustain a covered facility without additional Federal financial assistance under this subsection for facility support.

3. The Secretary may not approve an application submitted by a covered entity unless the Secretary confirms that the covered entity has satisfied the eligibility criteria; determines that the project for which the covered entity is seeking financial assistance is in the interest of Atlasia; and has notified the President before making any commitment to provide an award of financial assistance to any covered entity in an amount that exceeds $10,000,000; or if the Secretary determines, in consultation with the Secretary of State, that the covered entity is a foreign entity of concern, or is substantially controlled thereby.

4. In reviewing an application submitted under this title the Secretary may consider whether the covered entity has previously received financial assistance under this subsection; the governmental entity offering the applicable covered incentive has benefitted from financial assistance previously provided under this subsection; the covered entity has demonstrated that the covered entity is responsive to the national security needs or requirements; if practicable, a consortium that is considered a covered entity includes a small business concern, notwithstanding 13 CFR 121.103; and the covered entity intends to produce finished products for use by the government of Atlasia, the defense industry, or critical energy infrastructure.

5. To the maximum extent practicable, the Secretary shall prioritize awarding financial assistance under this title to a covered entity that utilizes raw material feedstock sourced from one (1) or more offtake agreements with entities that are not foreign entities of concern; utilizes raw material feedstock sourced from two (2) or more entities; offtake agreements; or geographic locations; utilizes concentrated rare earth elements sourced from two (2) or more entities; offtake agreements; or geographic locations; and intends to produce finished products for use by the government of Atlasia, the defense industry, or critical energy infrastructure.

6. The Secretary may request records and information from a covered entity that submitted an application under this title to review the status of a covered entity. The covered entity shall provide the records and information requested by the Secretary.

7. The Secretary shall determine the appropriate amount and funding type for each financial assistance award provided to a covered entity under this title. The total Federal investment in any individual project receiving a financial assistance award under this subsection shall not exceed $500,000,000, unless the Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary of State, recommends to the President, and the President agrees, that a larger investment is necessary to significantly increase the proportion of reliable domestic supply of finished rare earth products relevant for national security and economic competitiveness that can be met through domestic production; and to meet the needs of national security.

8. A covered entity that receives a financial assistance award under this title may only use the financial assistance award amounts to finance:

A. the construction of a covered facility (including equipment) or the expansion or technological upgrade of a facility (including equipment) of the covered entity to be a covered facility, as documented in the application, as determined necessary by the Secretary for purposes relating to the national security and economic competitiveness of Atlasia;

B. to support workforce development for a covered facility;

C. to support site development and technological upgrade for a covered facility; and

D. to pay reasonable costs relating to the operating expenses for a covered facility, including specialized workforce and essential materials.

9. For all financial assistance awards of more than $10,000,000 provided to covered entities, the Secretary shall, at the time of making the award, determine the target dates by which a covered entity shall commence and complete the applicable project. If the covered entity receiving a financial assistance award of more than $10,000,000 does not complete the applicable project by the applicable target date, the Secretary shall progressively recover up to the full amount of the award. In the case of projects that do not meet the applicable target date, the Secretary may waive the requirement to recover the financial award provided for the project after making a formal determination that circumstances beyond the ability of the covered entity to foresee or control are responsible for the delay.

10. Before entering into an agreement with a foreign entity to conduct joint research or technology licensing, or to share intellectual property, a covered entity that has received a financial assistance award shall notify the Secretary of the intent to enter into such an agreement; and may only enter into such an agreement if the Secretary determines the foreign entity is not a foreign entity of concern. The Secretary shall recover the full amount of a financial assistance award provided to a covered entity if, during the applicable term of the award, the covered entity knowingly engages in any joint research, technology licensing, or intellectual property sharing effort with a foreign entity of concern that relates to a technology or product that raises national security concerns, as determined by the Secretary, on the condition that the determination of the Secretary shall have been communicated to the covered entity before the covered entity engaged in the joint research, technology licensing, or intellectual property sharing.

11. A covered entity to which the Secretary awards Federal financial assistance under this subsection shall enter into an agreement that specifies that, during the 5-year period immediately following the award of the Federal financial assistance, the covered entity will not make shareholder distributions in excess of profits.

12. Funding awarded under this act shall be divided as equally as is practicable between each of the three (3) Regions.

13. Any recipient of funds under this Title shall adopt and implement a Cybersecurity Plan approved by the President that is capable of adequately protecting the facility funded by this act as well as any other property owned, controlled, or managed by the recipient.

14. Any recipient of funds under this act shall be considered contractors for purposes of the Stopping Sino-Espionage Act.

15. Funding for this title is hereby authorized to be appropriated in the following amounts: $1.5 Billion for fiscal year 2023; and $200 Million for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2027.

TITLE VII: PROMOTING SAFER FOREIGN SUPPLY CHAINS

1. It shall be the policy of Atlasia to encourage countries that are allies of Atlasia to eliminate their dependence on non-allied countries for rare earth metals to the maximum extent practicable.

2. To assist in this title, the Secretary of State shall provide funding through a common funding mechanism to support the development and adoption of secure rare earth supply chains. The Rare Earth Sourcing Trust Fund (RESTF) is hereby created for such purpose.

3. Amounts in the RESTF shall be available to the Secretary of State, on and after the date on which the Secretary enters into an arrangement or agreement with the governments of countries that are partners of Atlasia, as determined by the Secretary of State, to participate in the common funding mechanism. Before entering into an arrangement or agreement, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Interior, shall ensure that any government that will participate in the arrangement or agreement maintains export control licensing policies with respect to exports of finished rare earth products substantively equivalent to Atlasia with respect to restrictions on such exports to the People's Republic of China.

4. The Secretary of State may establish a common funding mechanism, in coordination with the governments of countries that are partners of Atlasia, that uses amounts from the RESTF to support the development and adoption of secure rare earth supply chains, including for research and development collaborations among countries participating in the mechanism; and supplementing bids by foreign entities that are not foreign entities of concern to secure offtake agreements with entities that mine rare earth elements.

5. In establishing and sustaining a common funding mechanism, the Secretary of State shall seek to leverage amounts from the RESTF to secure contributions to the mechanism from the governments of countries participating in the mechanism, including with respect to cost sharing and other cooperative measures leading to the development and adoption of secure rare earth supply chains. The Secretary shall promote efforts among countries participating in the mechanism to establish transparency requirements for any subsidies or other financial benefits (including revenue foregone) provided to rare earth firms located in or outside such countries; to establish processes similar to the process of the Committee on Foreign Investment in Atlasia under section 721 of the Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4565) for intervening to preempt foreign entities of concern from investing in, purchasing, or assuming control of entities, intellectual property, and equipment that are created by or benefit from investments by the mechanism;  to establish consistent policies with respect to countries that are not participating in the mechanism; and do not meet established transparency requirements; to promote harmonized treatment of finished rare earth products and verification processes for raw materials or products being exported to a country considered a national security risk by the government of a country participating in the mechanism; to establish consistent policies among the governments of countries participating in the mechanism and common policies among countries that are not participating to address nonmarket economy countries as the behavior of such countries pertains to rare earth elements; to align policies with respect to supply chain integrity and security, including with respect to protection and enforcement of intellectual property rights; and to promote harmonized foreign direct investment screening measures and export control policies with respect to rare earth elements to align with national, multilateral, and plurilateral security priorities.

6. None of the funds authorized to be appropriated to carry out this title may be provided to a foreign entity of concern.

7. $10 billion is hereby appropriated for such purposes.

TITLE VIII: DOMESTIC MINING AND WORKFORCE

1. The Secretary of Interior through the Geologic Survey shall conduct and compile an inventory of domestic supplies of rare earth elements and metals that could be mined.

2. Any environmental impact statement (EIS) for the mining of domestic rare earth elements and metals shall be made within 45 days of request and any federal permit for the mining of domestic rare earth elements and metals shall be approved or denied within 90 days of submission. The person requesting the EIS or permit may pay a reasonable expedited processing fee to ensure such reviews are timely made.

3. As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Interior shall establish an initiative under which the Secretary shall work with the Director of the National Science Foundation, the Critical Minerals Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council, the private sector, institutions of higher education, and workforce training entities to incentivize and expand participation in graduate and undergraduate programs, and to develop workforce training programs and apprenticeships, relating to advanced rare earth element mining, separation, processing, metallurgy, and advanced equipment maintenance capabilities.

4. The Director of the National Science Foundation shall award grants, on a competitive basis, to institutions of higher education or nonprofit organizations (or consortium of such institutions or organizations) to support basic research that will accelerate innovation to advance critical minerals mining strategies and technologies for the purpose of making better use of domestic resources and eliminating national reliance on minerals and mineral materials that are subject to supply disruptions.

5. $1 Billion is hereby appropriated for such purposes.

TITLE IX: ENACTMENT

1. Unless otherwise specified herein, this act shall take effect immediately.

Passed 9-1-1-7 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Not a big fan of making laws that restate existing precedent as a general rule, particularly since nobody appears to actually have been moved to consult the original law in the event they might have wanted to change it, but since it does at least touch on several issues from recent months I suppose it is good to have a clearer picture of where legislative precedent stands.

HARNESS THE MULES ACT

1. No voter may deliver their ballot early or by mail, email, PM, off-site drop box, or other means. Ballots shall only be valid if posted in the appropriate Voting Booth Thread during the election period.

2. No ballot may be delivered to the Voting Booth Thread by a proxy or ballot harvester.

3. It shall be a misdemeanor to offer a bribe or thing of value in exchange for a vote. For purposes of this paragraph, a thing of value includes but is not limited to a bottle of water, however a thing of value shall not include a public promise to support a specific policy, appoint a certain person, or mutually support or vote for a specific candidate.

4. No federal, Regional, State, or local electoral board, office, or official in Atlasia shall solicit, accept, use, or dispose of any money, grants, property, or services given by a private individual or nongovernmental entity for the purpose of funding voter education and outreach programs, voter registration programs, or any other expense incurred in the conduct of elections. This provision shall not be construed to prohibit the operation of a polling place or voter satellite office in a facility furnished by a private individual or nongovernmental entity that otherwise meets the requirements for polling places or voter satellite offices provided by law or acceptance of a federal government grant.

5.This act shall take effect immediately.

Passed 6-4-1-7 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Incredibly a version of this bill passed the House in 2019 with presidential support and almost passed the Senate before it got torpedoed and then forgotten about. I consider the current situation vis-a-vis the legalization of most of our formerly illegal immigrant population to be more than adequate as far as the actual people are concerned, and echo what Griffin and Yankee both said in the course of debate that the onus here falls entirely on contractors and business to obey the law as it stands in Atlasia, rather than continuing to hire what has effectively become slave labor, as UNL also amended in and I commend her for pointing it out. The protections for all workers, legal and illegal, are as strong as can be made in order to have a semblance of incentive for federal contractors to follow the laws that they're subject to same as the rest of us.

WORKER WAGE PROTECTION ACT

1.  Any organization seeking or holding federal Atlasian government contracts or accepting federal funding which is found to knowingly employ undocumented immigrants will be ineligible for new contracts for two years following the discovery of these immigrants.

   A. The SoIA shall compile an effective and efficient procedure by which companies can verify the status of their employees. The terms of the above shall apply once the procedure is in place and companies have been given a “reasonable” chance to utilize it.

   B. Contracts that deal with critical defense or emergency related procurement may be given exemption based on the situation, but must be required to take steps to ensure the legality of their workforce going forward and the Department of Internal Affairs shall certify they have done so.

2.  The bill is not affecting contracts or funding for companies, that employed undocumented immigrants without knowing their legal status. Said companies are required to remove any undocumented employees within a period of two months instead.

3. No provision in this bill shall be construed as to condone or legalize any violations of current laws regarding racial profiling and civil rights. Any and all such violations shall be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of existing law at the time of the violation's occurrence.

4. Any organization seeking or holding federal Atlasian government contracts or accepting federal funding which is found to knowingly use forced labor or slave labor for government contracts will be suspended indefinitely upon the discovery of it occurring.

5.This act shall take effect sixty (60) days from the date of passage.

Passed 9-4-0-5 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

Good stuff! Great stuff, in fact. Can't say much more about this manifestly good bill that hasn't already been said.

USE IT OR LOSE IT ACT

1. If the holder of any federal copyright, patent, or trademark of any intellectual property renounces such copyright, patent, or trademark, or formally expresses the intent to permanently halt and discontinue the use, production, licensing, or redistribution of any intellectual property secured by such copyright, patent, or trademark, such copyright, patent, or trademark shall be null and void and the intellectual property secured thereby shall become a part of the public domain.

2. This act shall take effect immediately.

Passed 12-2-0-4 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

I'll be getting to the others closer to Christmas, I think. Busy few days ahead! Keep up the good work, everyone.


Veto statement

So it is my position, and that of the SoIA who had a back and forth with me about this bill, that it would be counterproductive to eliminate a few of the provisions mentioned here since they perform functions that provide enough return in areas that no other part of the government touches adequately which would not be made up for by the theoretical increase in efficiency from eliminating them. If there is such a gap being filled then my inclination is to leave the gap filled if it's not eating huge amounts of money in return, which the provisions I have struck out don't seem to be doing. Commending this to the Senate for its consideration.

OBSOLETE PROGRAMS SUNSET ACT

SENATE BILL

to eliminate dumb programs

Be it enacted in the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia assembled:

SECTION I: NAME
a. This act shall be referred to as the Obsolete Programs Sunset Act

SECTION II: REDUNDANT, OBSOLETE, OR UNNECESSARY PROGRAMS

1. Authorization for the following programs shall expire on January 1, 2024:

   a. Forestry Service International Programs, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Agriculture.

   b. The Agricultural Mediation Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Agriculture.

   c. All projects carried out by the Agricultural Transportation Services Division, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Agriculture.

   d. The Rails to Trails Abandoned Railway Corridor Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Transportation.

  e. The Safe Routes to Schools Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Transportation.

   f.e. The Scenic Turnout and Overlook Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Transportation.

   g.f. The National Historic Covered Bridge Preservation Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Transportation.

   h.g. National Scenic Byways Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Transportation.

   i.h. The Recreational Trails Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Transportation.

  j. Transportation Alternatives Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Transportation.

   k. Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Transportation.

   l.i. The FreedomCAR and Fuel Partnership Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Energy.

   m.j. The Natural Disaster Resilience Competition, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Homeland Security.

   n.k. The Natural Disaster Resilience Grant Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Homeland Security.

   o.l. The LWCF State Recreational Grant Program, currently administered by the Subdepartment of Interior.

  p. The Nonpoint Source Management Grant Program, currently administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

   q. The Brownfields Opportunity Grant Program, currently administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Passed 8-5-0-5 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

VETOED AND REDRAFTED

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

I think this is a needed mechanism to cover the eventuality that a Senator wants to resign but is unable to post, and while I have some reservations about the precise steps of the procedure here it is a good thing that it's not just the PPT or a party leader being notified. Hopefully that encourages more accountability from them.

OFF-SITE RESIGNATIONS ACT

1. If a sitting Senator shall be involuntarily incapable of making posts on TalkElections forum and such Senator wishes to resign from office prior to the expiration of his or her term, then such Senator may submit notice of his or her intention to resign to no less than three (3) sitting Senators, at least one (1) of which must be in such Senator's party, if applicable, and one (1) of which must be the PPT.

2. Any sitting Senator contacted pursuant to this act may make a public post of such intent to resign, and shall include in such post a screen capture of the resignation transmitted by the resigning Senator.

3. Upon the certification of such resignation by two (2) other sitting Senators, including the posting by such Senators of screen captures of the resignation transmitted by the resigning Senator, the resignation shall become effective immediately.

4. Upon suspicion that the resignation is fraudulent, any Senator may appeal to the Supreme Court for a determination of the accuracy of such resignation.

5. This act shall take effect immediately.

Passed 9-0-0-9 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia

[Joseph Cao]

Signing statement

A good common-sense bill that benefits everyone. As today's retirees move around much more often and remain active well into the period when their 401(k)s become active, it's more and more necessary that we ensure these plans are transparent and easily transferable. I'm also hopeful for the increased personal responsibility this places on the beneficiary to be sensible about how, when, and where they carry these functions out with the added control they have over the contents of their plan.

RETIREE INCOME PROTECTION ACT

1. Any financial service provider who invests and manages a 401(K) plan hereby possesses a fiduciary duty to make investment decisions as a reasonably prudent investor would for the benefit of the beneficiaries of the investments. Accordingly no such officer, agent, or employee shall make investment decisions for a 401(K) plan that prioritize the proprietary funds of the financial service provider or unreasonably increases administrative costs for the fund or investment fees for the financial service provider when such decision is made for a purpose other than benefiting the beneficiaries of the investments.

2. Any 401(K) plan with assets totaling less than $5 Million shall be prohibited from incurring an expense ratio exceeding 1.05% of assets.

3. Any 401(K) plan with assets totaling more than $5 Million but less than $20 Million shall be prohibited from incurring an expense ratio exceeding 0.8% of assets.

4. Any 401(K) plan with assets exceeding $20 Million shall be prohibited from incurring an expense ratio exceeding 0.5% of assets.

5. No financial service provider shall offer a revenue sharing agreement to intermediaries for choosing a fund that exceeds 0.25% of fund management costs.

6. Any 401(K) plan shall annually disclose to all investors in such fund any fee, expense, or administrative cost incurred annually in the management of such fund. This includes but is not limited to any revenue sharing cost.

7. Any employee with an existing 401(K) plan provided by an employer who takes a job with a new employer shall be permitted to transfer the value of the existing equity in the 401(K) plan into a 401(K) plan offered by the new employer with no tax consequence. Employers shall nor charge for such transfer. If the new employer does not offer a 401(K) plan, then the employee may convert the value of the existing equity in the 401(K) plan into a fixed-payment annuity upon retirement with no tax consequence.

8. Any beneficiary shall be entitled to initiate a beneficiary derivative class action lawsuit against any officer, agent, or employee violating this act to seek damages and legal costs.

9. This act shall take effect ninety (90) days from the date of passage.

Passed 11-0-0-7 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled.

- R, PPT

Joseph Cao, President of the Republic of Atlasia