7 Must Read Bills Introduced in Congress This Week
1. Congresswoman Annie Kuster, Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Congressman Tom Malinowski, Congressman Mike Quigley, and Congressman Jared Huffman introduced the Protecting Our Conserved Lands Act. This legislation will prevent the use of eminent domain to seize conservation land protected by local governments and nonprofits, like land trusts, for the purpose of constructing natural gas pipelines.
“The Protecting Our Conserved Lands Act will prevent protected lands from being seized for pipeline construction, and keep ownership in the hands of the local governments and non-profit organizations that have worked hard to preserve these lands for future generations.”
2. Congresswoman Xochitl Torres Small, alongside U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján and Congresswoman Deb Haaland, introduced the Western Water Security Act of 2019, legislation to improve water management in the West through investments in water infrastructure, a focus on conservation, efficiency, and environmental restoration, and tailored funding for local communities.
“The bill will provide technical support and funding to many New Mexico communities to address current and future water security issues.
3. Kustoff and Roe Introduce Rural Health Agenda to Bring Care to Underserved Communities. This bill would:
• create two 5-year grant programs, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Community-Based Division.
• create other grant programs that would expand rural health departments to meet urgent care and triage needs.
• instruct the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to initiate a rulemaking to create federal telehealth program best practices.
4. Representatives Mike Quigley and Doug Collins introduced the Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act (H.R. 4894), which gives the public access to how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars.
“By requiring federal agencies to regularly publish budget justifications on one central website, the Congressional Budget Justification Transparency Act will ensure hardworking Americans have access to the information needed to evaluate how their tax dollars are being spent.”
5. Representative Mark Walker introduced the Homeland Security Counterintelligence Threat Reduction Act, legislation to combat concerning national security threats posed by vulnerabilities with sensitive information in higher education institutions.
Additionally, to address counterintelligence concerns at U.S. academic institutions, the Homeland Security Counterintelligence Threat Reduction Act would make it mandatory for the Secretary to develop counterintelligence awareness training for certain faculty of colleges and universities, while also requiring enhancements to the Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
6. Congresswoman Annie Kuster , Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman, Congressman Tom Malinowski, Congressman Mike Quigley, and Congressman Jared Huffman introduced the Protecting Our Conserved Lands Act. This legislation will prevent the use of the eminent domain to seize conservation land protected by local governments and nonprofits, like land trusts, for the purpose of constructing natural gas pipelines.
“The Protecting Our Conserved Lands Act will prevent protected lands from being seized for pipeline construction, and keep ownership in the hands of the local governments and non-profit organizations that have worked hard to preserve these lands for future generations.”
7. Congresswoman Abby Finkenauer and Congressman Rick Crawford introduced the Farmers’ Access to Resources and Machinery (FARM) Act.
The legislation builds on the success of the state-level Aggie Bond program and makes common-sense improvements that will increase beginning farmers’ access to the financing they need.
“We applaud Representatives Finkenauer and Crawford for introducing the FARM Act to expand access to bond-funded loans and for their support of beginning farmers and ranchers.”
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