House Legislation Introduction Thread

[Coastal Elitist]

I fourth Representative fhtagn's motion of no confidence against the Speaker of the House.

[Coastal Elitist]

COMMONSENSE WELFARE REFORM ACT
SENATE BILL
to make government more efficient, make it easier to get food stamps, and redirect federal money to better welfare programs
Be it enacted by both houses of Congress assembled:

SECTION I.: NAME
a.  This Act may be cited as the Commonsense Welfare Reform Act.

SECTION II: AGENCY CONSOLIDATION
a. The Subdepartment of Health and Human Services (HHS) shall be renamed the Subdepartment of Human Services and Welfare (HSW)
b. The following agencies, and all related programs, administrative powers, obligations, and duties shall be transferred to the DHW:
   1. The Social Security Administration (SSA)
   2. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), currently part of the Subdepartment of Agriculture
   3. The Office of Housing, currently part of the Subdepartment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) with the exception of the Federal Housing Administration which shall remain within HUD and all activities and powers related to the administration of the Manufactured Housing Program which shall be transferred to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
   4. The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), currently part of the Subdepartment of Labor, with the exception of all activities and powers related to the administration of the Agricultural Worker’s Survey Program which shall transfer to the Census Bureau, currently part of the Subdepartment of Commerce.
   5. The Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS), currently part of the Subdepartment of Labor.
   6. The Office of Federal Student Aid, currently part of the Subdepartment of Education.
c. The following offices and agencies and all related programs, powers, obligations, and duties shall be transferred from HSW:
   1. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to the Subdepartment of Commerce.
   2. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to the Department of Justice.
d. The administrator of HSW shall oversee the creation of a cross-program database of program beneficiaries to better monitor against fraud and abuse.
e. After 60 days of non-repayment following notice, HSW shall have the authority to recover benefit overpayments from one program by deducting the amount from other programs the beneficiary is collecting from.
f. HSW shall hire an additional 35 Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) to hear Atlascare appeals, and an additional 5 ALJs to hear appeals from the SSA. Funding for these judges shall come from the savings realized in this bill.

SECTION III: NUTRITION PROGRAMS
a. Eligibility
   1. Eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) shall be expanded to include persons earning up to 150% of the poverty line and persons who own less than $5,000 in assets.
   2. No person otherwise eligible for SNAP benefits shall be excluded from the program due to past criminal or felony conviction. Nothing in this clause prohibits federal employees from investigating potential fraud. 7 U.S.C. § 2015 shall be amended accordingly.
   3. SNAP receiving households that receive substantial winnings from any lottery or from gambling where such winnings would lead to the disqualification of the household from SNAP eligibility shall report such winnings to the DHWS within fifteen (15) days of receiving such winnings and shall be liable for reimbursement for any SNAP funds spent after that period. 7 U.S.C. § 2015 shall be amended accordingly.
   4. SNAP eligibility may not be determined on the basis of participating in a State or Regional low-income heating and energy assistance program. 7 USC § 2014(e)(6)(C) shall be amended accordingly.
   5. Adult college students shall not be eligible to receive SNAP benefits unless the student is employed, is participating in career and technical training programs, or in a work study program. 7 USC § 2015(e)(3)(B) shall be amended accordingly.
b. Savings and Fraud Prevention   
   1. Any unspent SNAP benefits remaining when the proceeding month’s benefits are deposited on any EBT account shall be expunged. 7 USC § 2020 shall be amended accordingly.
   2. No person receiving SNAP benefits shall receive deposit fees for returned cans or bottles greater than $20 per household per month. 7 USC § 2012(k)(1) shall be amended accordingly.
   3. The regulation requiring food vendors to carry a minimum number of staple foods to participate in the program is hereby eliminated.
   4. Chewing gum shall not be an eligible item to purchase with SNAP benefits.
  5. At the beginning of fiscal year 2019 authorization for the following programs administered by SNAP shall expire and all related funding shall be redirected to assist in paying for the eligibility expansion contained herein:
     A. Media and enrollment campaign activities. 7 USC § 2025(a)(4) shall be amended accordingly.
     B. SNAP Performance Bonus Program. 7 USC § 2025(d) shall be amended accordingly.
     C. SNAP Employment and Training program. 7 USC § 2025(h)(1)(A) shall be amended accordingly.
     D. SNAP nutrition education program. 7 USC § 2036a  shall be amended accordingly.
     E. SNAP Outreach Coalition.
     F. SNAP Outreach Grant Program.
     G. U.S.-Mexico partnership for nutrition assistance initiative. The MOU entered into (7/22/04) is hereby rescinded.
   6. At the beginning of fiscal year 2019 authorization for the following redundant programs shall expire and all related funding shall be redirected to assist in paying for the eligibility expansion contained herein:
     A. Afterschool Snack Program.
     B. Child and Adult Care Food Program.
     C. Commodity Supplemental Food Program. 7 USC § 612c shall be amended accordingly.
     D. Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program.
     E. Emergency Food Assistance Program 7 USC § 2036(a) shall be amended accordingly.
     F. Indian Reservations Food Distribution Program.
     G. Fresh Food and Vegetable Program. 42 USC § 1769a shall be amended accordingly.
     H. Nutrition Information and Awareness Program. 7 USC § 3171 shall be amended accordingly.
     I. Seniors Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program. 7 USC § 3007 shall be amended accordingly.
     J. Special Milk Program.
     K. Summer Food Service Program.
     L. WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.
     M. Nutrition Cash Payments in Puerto Rico. 7 USC § 2028(a)(2)(B) shall be amended accordingly.

SECTION IV: MISCELLANEOUS CHANGES
a. The cap on SSI overpayment recoveries is hereby eliminated.
b. On January 1, 2020, authorization to carry out the HOPE VI currently administered by HUD shall expire.
c. On January 1, 2020, authorization to carry out the Housing Counselors Program and Mobility Counselors Program currently administered by HUD shall expire.
d. Beginning in fiscal year 2019, no CDBG funds awarded shall be expended on community centers, signs, banners, landscaping, parking lots, or decorative streetscape.
e. No person shall be eligible to collect both federal Unemployment Insurance payments and Social Security Disability Insurance payments simultaneously.
f. No person whose annual income exceeds $1 Million shall be eligible to collect Unemployment Insurance payments during that year.
g. Long-term Emergency federal Unemployment Insurance payments shall be capped at seventy-five (75) consecutive weeks.
h. On January 1, 2020, authorization to carry out the Title X Family Planning Program currently administered by HHS shall expire.
i. Federal funding for fiscal year 2020 for the following federal scholarships shall be redirected into the Pell Grant Program:
   1. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship
   2. The Fulbright Scholarship
   3. The James Madison Fellowship
   4. The Harry S. Truman Scholarship
   5. The Udall Scholarship
   6. HUD Doctoral Scholarship

SECTION V: TIMING
a. Unless otherwise specified herein, the provisions of this act shall take effect six (6) months from the date of passage.

[Coastal Elitist]

KNOW WHEN TO FOLD’UM ACT

SECTION I: NAME
a. This act shall be known as the Know When To Fold’um Act

SECTION II: END OF FEDERAL INVOLVEMENT IN GAMBLING
a. The regulation prohibiting wagering on sports is hereby eliminated. 28 USC 3701 - 3704 (PAPSA) is hereby repealed.
b. The regulation prohibiting the transfer of funds in connection to online gambling is hereby eliminated. 31 USC 5361 - 5367 (UIGEA)is hereby repealed.
c. The regulation prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, or sale of gambling devices in interstate commerce is hereby eliminated. 15 usc 1171-1178 (Johnson Act) and 18 USC 1953 (Waging Paraphernalia Act) are hereby repealed.
d. The regulation prohibiting the use of wired communication facility to transmit sports wagering information in interstate commerce to assist in gambling (Wire Act) is hereby eliminated. 50 USC 1081 - 1084 is hereby repealed.
e. The regulation prohibiting the conduct of wagering activity in interstate commerce is hereby eliminated. 18 U.S.C. 1955 (IGBA) is hereby repealed.
f. The regulation prohibiting the traveling in interstate commerce to transmit sports wagering information is hereby eliminated. 18 USC 1952 (Travel Act) is hereby repealed.
g. Gambling operations operating legally under Regional law shall not be considered unlawful businesses under 18 USC 1960 (Money Transmitters Act) and 18 USC 1961 - 1968 (RICO).
h. Sec. III(c) of the Postal Reform Act shall be amended to clarify that 18 USC 1303 and 39 USC 3005 shall also be amended to reflect the change in law.
i. On January 1, 2021 all federal regulations about gambling on Indian reservations shall be eliminated. 25 USC 2701 - 2721 shall be repealed.

SECTION III: TIMING
a. This act shall take effect thirty (30) days after adoption.

[Coastal Elitist]

LACEY JONES NEEDS HELP ACT

SECTION I: NAME
a. This act shall be known as the Lacey Jones Needs Help Act

SECTION II: LACEY ACY REFORMS
a. The regulations required under the Lacey Act shall not apply to hardwood trees or products thereof. 16 USC 3371 - 3378 shall be amended accordingly.
b. The regulations required under the Lacey Act for applying foreign law shall only consider environmental and conservation laws. 16 USC 3371 – 3378.

SECTION III: JONES ACY REFORM
a. The regulations on foreign vessels or domestic vessels without a requisite percentage of Atlasian crew members on engaging in cabotage in Atlasia is hereby repealed. 46 U.S.C. § 55102 - 55113, 46 U.S.C. § 55116 - 55122, 46 U.S.C. § 8103, and 46 U.S.C. § 12103 (Jones Act) is hereby repealed.

SECTION IV: TIMING
a. This act shall go into effect ninety (90) days after the date of passage.

[Coastal Elitist]

I am filing this/prefiling this/basically don't want this to somehow get lost between the two Congresses because I don't know when we'll get to it.

NO MORE CHEVRON DEFERENCE ACT

SECTION I: NAME
a. This act shall be referred to as the No More Chevron Deference Act

SECTION II: JUDICIAL POWER IN AGENCY ACTIONS
a. In a proceeding brought by or against a regulated party in a federal court of proper jurisdiction, the court shall decide all questions of law, including the interpretation of a Constitutional or statutory provision or a rule adopted by an agency, without deference to any previous determination that may have been made on the question by the agency. Notwithstanding any other law, this act applies in any action for judicial review of an agency action that is authorized by law. 5 U.S.C. § 551 et. seq. shall be amended accordingly.

SECTION III: TIMING
a. This act shall take effect immediately but shall not be retroactive to any cases pending in a federal court.

[Coastal Elitist]

I am filing this/prefiling this/basically don't want this to somehow get lost between the two Congresses because I don't know when we'll get to it.

CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF REGULATIONS ACT

SECTION I: NAME
This Act shall be referred to as the Congressional Review of Regulations Act

SECTION II. CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW
a. Before a rule may take effect, the Federal agency promulgating such rule shall publish in the Federal Register a list of information on which the rule is based, including data, scientific and economic studies, and cost-benefit analyses, and identify how the public can access such information online, and shall submit to each House of the Congress and to the Comptroller General a report containing:
   1. a copy of the rule;
   2. a concise general statement relating to the rule;
   3. a classification of the rule as a major or nonmajor rule, including an explanation of the classification;
   4. a list of any other related regulatory actions intended to implement the same statutory provision or regulatory objective as well as the individual and aggregate economic effects of those actions; and
   5. the proposed effective date of the rule.
b. On the date of the submission of the report under subparagraph a., the Federal agency promulgating the rule shall submit to the Comptroller General and make available to each House of Congress “(i) a complete copy of the cost-benefit analysis of the rule, if any, including an analysis of any jobs added or lost, differentiating between public and private sector jobs to review and certify to Congress;
c. A major rule relating to a report submitted under paragraph a. shall take effect upon enactment of a joint resolution of approval by both houses of Congress and only then, with the following exceptions:
   1. Rules that concern monetary policy proposed or implemented by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Open Market Committee.
   2. Rules that are necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency;
   3. Rules that are necessary for the enforcement of criminal laws;
   4. Rules that are necessary for national security;
   5. Rules that are issued pursuant to any statute implementing an international trade agreement;
   6. Any rule that establishes, modifies, opens, closes, or conducts a regulatory program for a commercial, recreational, or subsistence activity related to hunting, fishing, or camping; or
d. A nonmajor rule shall take effect as otherwise provided by existing federal law unless upon enactment of a joint resolution of disapproval by both houses of Congress.
e. For purposes of this section, the term ‘joint resolution’ means only a joint resolution addressing a report classifying a rule as major and decided upon a vote of aye or nay on the rule as submitted by the federal agency.
 
SECTION III: DEFINITIONS
a. For purposes of this law:
   1. The term ‘major rule’ means any rule, including an interim final rule, that the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget finds has resulted in or is likely to result in:
      A. an annual cost on the economy of $100,000,000 or more, adjusted annually for inflation;
      B. a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, Federal, State, or local government agencies, or geographic regions; or
      C. significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or on the ability of United States-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises in domestic and export markets.
   2. The term ‘nonmajor rule’ means any rule that is not a major rule.
   3. The term ‘rule’ has the meaning given such term in the Administrative Procedures Act.

SECTION IV: TIME
a. This act shall take effect ninety (90) days after the date this act is ratified.

[Coastal Elitist]

I am filing this/prefiling this/basically don't want this to somehow get lost between the two Congresses because I don't know when we'll get to it.

SUPER DUPER FUND ACT

SECTION I. NAME.

    This Act shall be called the Super Duper Fund Act

SECTION II. FEDERAL FACILITIES MUST COMPLY WITH SOME REGIONAL RULES

a. 42 U.S.C. 9620(a) is hereby amended to require that each department, agency, and instrumentality of Atlasia shall be subject to, and comply with, at facilities that are or have been owned or operated by any such department, agency, or instrumentality, Regional or State substantive and procedural requirements regarding response relating to hazardous substances or pollutants or contaminants, including State hazardous waste requirements, in the same manner and to the same extent as any nongovernmental entity.

B, Atlasia hereby expressly waives any immunity otherwise applicable to Atlasia with respect to any Regional or State substantive or procedural requirement referred to in this act, including immunity from injunctive relief, civil penalties, criminal sanctions.

SECTION III. POO

a. 42 U.S.C. 9601 is amended by adding the following new section at the end
thereof:

SECTION 312. EXCEPTION FOR MANURE

a. Upon the date of enactment of this section, manure shall not be included in the meaning of `hazardous substance' under section 101(14) of this Act or `pollutant or contaminant' under section 101(33) of this Act.

b. The enactment of this section shall not be construed to impose any liability or paperwork requirements under provisions of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986 for manure.

c. Nothing in this section shall affect the applicability of any other environmental
statute as it relates to the definition of manure, or the responsibilities or liabilities of any person regarding, the treatment, storage, or disposal of manure.

d. 100 Stat. 1655 is amended by adding the following at the end thereof:
The notification requirements under this subsection shall not apply to releases associated with manure (as defined in section 312 of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act.
e. Definition - For the purposes of this section, the term `manure' mean:
     1. digestive emissions, feces, urine, urea and other excrement from livestock (as defined by 7 C.F.R. 205.2);
     2. any associated bedding, compost, raw materials or other materials commingled with such excrement from livestock (as defined by 7 C.F.R. 205.2);
     3. any process water associated with the items referred to in paragraph (1) or (2); and
     4. any byproducts, constituents, or substances contained in, originating from, or emissions relating to the items described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3).''.

SECTION IV: TIME
a. Unless otherwise specified herein, this act shall take effect 120 days from the date of passage.

[Coastal Elitist]

I am filing this/prefiling this/basically don't want this to somehow get lost between the two Congresses because I don't know when we'll get to it.

CREDIT UNIONS ARE GOOD ACT

SECTION I: NAME
a. This act shall be known as the Credit Unions Are Good Act

SECTION II: REPEAL OF DUMB REGULATIONS
a. The regulation prohibiting federally regulated credit unions from purchasing mortgage servicing rights as an investment, including but not limited to mortgage servicing rights from other credit unions is hereby eliminated, provided the total assets of mortgage servicing rights held by any federal credit union does not exceed 20% of its total assets. 12 CFR 703.16 shall be amended accordingly.
b. The regulation prohibiting federally regulated credit unions from purchasing and holding their own account investment grade securities is hereby eliminated provided that the total assets of such securities held by a federally regulated credit union does not exceed 10% of its total assets. 12 CFR 703.14 shall be amended accordingly.
c. The regulation requiring certain insured federally-regulated credit unions to annually set aside an earnings retention fund is hereby eliminated. 12 USC 1790d(e) shall be amended accordingly.
d. Any State law governing member business loan limitations for credit unions that conflict with a federal law governing federally-regulated credit unions are hereby preempted.

SECTION III: TIMING
a. This act shall take effect thirty (30) days after adoption.

[Coastal Elitist]

I am filing this/prefiling this/basically don't want this to somehow get lost between the two Congresses because I don't know when we'll get to it.

SOUND MONEY ACT

SECTION I: NAME
a. This act shall be referred to as the Sound Money Act

SECTION II: FEDERAL RESERVE MANDATES
a. The mandates imposed upon the Federal Reserve, when in conflict shall prioritize the minimization of inflation.  92 Stat. 1887 shall be amended accordingly.

SECTION III: TIMING
a. This act shall take effect July 4, 2020.

[Coastal Elitist]

Activity Matters Act

Be it enacted by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia in Congress assembled, the Federal Electoral Act is amended as follows,

Section 14: Federal Activity and Political Party Requirements
1. A person may become a registered voter if they have attained fifteen posts and have been registered at the forum for at least 7 days. In registration, the person must state their name and State of fantasy residence; In addition, they may optionally state a political affiliation.
2. All those persons who have registered to vote 7 days (168 hours) before the commencement of the election posted at least 10 times on the Atlas Fantasy Elections or Atlas Fantasy Government boards in the 8 weeks (56 days) prior to the commencement of an election shall be defined as active for the purposes of that election. If a voter changes their state of registration within the 7 days, the state from which they were originally registered shall be the state from which their vote is cast.
3. Persons may only change their State of registration from one region to another region once every 180 days. Changes in State of registration may only occur within a single region every 72 hours.
4. Any registered voter who fails to vote in elections for six months for which they are qualified to vote shall have their registration no longer considered valid. The said voter may only be deregistered after missing three federal elections, not including runoffs and special elections. A vote in a special election or runoff will be counted towards activity the same as a vote in a regular federal election. This clause shall not be construed to deny a forum user the right to register anew.
5. Anyone who has cast an absentee ballot shall be regarded as an active voter, provided he or she fulfills the definition by the time the election commences for which the ballot was cast, of an "active voter"; However, the post containing the ballot shall not count towards the total number of required posts.
6. Any political party of three or more members is considered to be an organized political party.