Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for the admission of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth into the United States. The commonwealth consists of all the territory of the District of Columbia (DC), excluding certain federal property. The excluded property shall be known as the Capital and serve as the seat of federal government; it includes the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court Building, and the federal office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and Capitol Building. In addition, the bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property and prohibits the commonwealth from taxing federal property except as permitted by Congress. Within 30 days of this bill's enactment, the DC mayor must call for the election of two Senators and one Representative for the commonwealth. The commonwealth shall be admitted into the United States upon a presidential proclamation announcing the results of that election. The bill applies current DC laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings. It also continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, and courts, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over those authorities and responsibilities. Further, the bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution to repeal the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution (which allows DC citizens to vote in presidential elections). The bill also establishes a commission to advise the President, Congress, and DC and commonwealth leaders on the transition.
Washington, D.C. Admission Act This bill provides for the admission of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth into the United States. The commonwealth consists of all the territory of the District of Columbia (DC), excluding certain federal property. The excluded property shall be known as the Capital and serve as the seat of federal government; it includes the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court Building, and the federal office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and Capitol Building. In addition, the bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property and prohibits the commonwealth from taxing federal property except as permitted by Congress. Within 30 days of this bill's enactment, the DC mayor must call for the election of two Senators and one Representative for the commonwealth. The commonwealth shall be admitted into the United States upon a presidential proclamation announcing the results of that election. The bill applies current DC laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings. It also continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, and courts, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over those authorities and responsibilities. Further, the bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution to repeal the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution (which allows DC citizens to vote in presidential elections). The bill also establishes a commission to advise the President, Congress, and DC and commonwealth leaders on the transition.
Reforming Alternatives to Incarceration and Sentencing to Establish a Better Path for Youth Act of 2023 or the RAISE Act of 2023 This bill modifies requirements and procedures related to the sentencing, confinement, and release of youth who are involved in the federal criminal justice system. The term youth means an individual who is prosecuted or sentenced for a criminal offense committed at age 21 or younger. The bill modifies federal sentencing options for youth, including by allowing courts to depart from the statutory mandatory minimum for certain nonviolent offenses, to reduce the prison term of a youth who has completed 20 years of the sentence, and to treat as discretionary a sentence of imprisonment for life. Additionally, it requires the Bureau of Prisons to separately designate youth correctional facilities, minimize contact between youth and other offenders, and establish programs regarding youth education, skills training, reentry, and mental and emotional health. Finally, the bill promotes reentry and reintegration into the community, including by providing an early release option for youth offenders who complete one half or more of their prison term and meet certain criteria; authorizing home confinement for a longer period of time; limiting the maximum prison term for technical violations of probation; establishing pilot programs for mentorship, government service, and animal service; and establishing pilot programs for diversion of high-risk, victimized, and primary caretaker youth.
Dismantling Investments in Violation of Ethical Standards through Trusts Act This bill prohibits a senior federal employee, his or her spouse, or dependent children from holding, purchasing, or selling certain financial instruments during the employee's term of service. Any profit made in violation of the prohibition must be disgorged to the Treasury and may subject the individual to a civil fine. The bill also requires the submission of an annual certification of compliance and requires the Government Accountability Office to conduct a compliance audit. A loss from a transaction or holding involving a covered financial instrument that is conducted in violation of this bill may not be deducted from the amount of income tax owed by the applicable senior federal employee, spouse, or dependent child. A senior federal employee who holds or conducts a transaction involving a covered financial instrument in violation of this bill may be subject to a civil fine assessed by the supervising ethics office.
Back the Blue Act of 2023 This bill establishes new criminal offenses for killing, assaulting, and fleeing to avoid prosecution for killing a judge, law enforcement officer, or public safety officer. Additionally, the bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include the killing or attempted killing of a law enforcement officer, judge, prosecutor, or firefighter or other first responder; broadens the authority of federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms; and limits federal court review of challenges to state court convictions for killing a public safety officer or judge. Finally, it directs the Department of Justice to make grants to law enforcement agencies and nongovernmental organizations to promote trust and improve relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve.
Parents Bill of Rights Act This bill establishes various rights of parents and guardians regarding the elementary or secondary school education of their children. Local educational agencies (LEAs) and schools must comply with the requirements of the bill in order to receive federal education funds. Specifically, the bill requires schools to notify parents and guardians of their rights regarding the education of their children. These rights include the right to review the curriculum of their child's school; know if the state alters its challenging academic standards; meet with each teacher of their child at least twice each school year; review the budget, including all revenues and expenditures, of their child's school; review a list of the books and other reading materials in the library of their child's school; address the school board of the LEA; receive information about violent activity in their child's school; and receive information about any plans to eliminate gifted and talented programs in the child's school. Additionally, the bill directs each LEA to post on a publicly accessible website (or otherwise widely disseminate to the public) the curriculum for each elementary and secondary school grade level. The LEA must also include in its annual report card the overall budget of the LEA and the budget for each elementary and secondary school. The bill also provides for additional family educational and privacy rights, including by prohibiting schools from selling student information for commercial or financial gain.
Freedom to Vote Act This bill addresses voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls. Next, the bill establishes Election Day as a federal holiday. The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence. The bill establishes certain federal criminal offenses related to voting. In particular, the bill establishes a new criminal offense for conduct (or attempted conduct) to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or helping someone register to vote. Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including by requiring states to conduct post-election audits for federal elections. The bill outlines criteria for congressional redistricting and generally prohibits mid-decade redistricting. The bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices.
Freedom to Vote Act This bill addresses voter registration and voting access, election integrity and security, redistricting, and campaign finance. Specifically, the bill expands voter registration (e.g., automatic and same-day registration) and voting access (e.g., vote-by-mail and early voting). It also limits removing voters from voter rolls. Next, the bill establishes Election Day as a federal holiday. The bill declares that the right of a U.S. citizen to vote in any election for federal office shall not be denied or abridged because that individual has been convicted of a criminal offense unless, at the time of the election, such individual is serving a felony sentence. The bill establishes certain federal criminal offenses related to voting. In particular, the bill establishes a new criminal offense for conduct (or attempted conduct) to corruptly hinder, interfere with, or prevent another person from registering to vote or helping someone register to vote. Additionally, the bill sets forth provisions related to election security, including by requiring states to conduct post-election audits for federal elections. The bill outlines criteria for congressional redistricting and generally prohibits mid-decade redistricting. The bill addresses campaign finance, including by expanding the prohibition on campaign spending by foreign nationals, requiring additional disclosure of campaign-related fundraising and spending, requiring additional disclaimers regarding certain political advertising, and establishing an alternative campaign funding system for certain federal offices.