sign

We will hold a recaucus for the position of Minority Leader

With the only people eligible for the position being: /u/Tucklet1911, /u/TheBittyBoy, and /u/A_Cool_Prussian.

With this being said the vote for the position of Minority Leader will begin and shall last for 48 hours.

You may vote for any of the three candidates, but if none of them meet your fancy you may abstain.

Amendment Introduction

H.J. Res 93

S.403

Amendment Vote

H.R.436

H.Con.Res.20 Due to clerk error this will stay up for another round

Floor Vote

S.553 Due to clerk error this will stay up for another round

S.529

H.R.445

H.R.434 Due to clerk error this will stay up for another round

H.Res.027

S.557

Amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990

Whereas Immigration has become a national crisis,

Whereas The number of Family-Sponsored immigrants admitted each year is de facto superior to the number of employment-based immigrants,

Whereas This mandate allows for many of the immigrants to be admitted based on family preference alone at the detriment of immigrants who would be a greater benefit to the United States,

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section I: Short Title

(a) This act may be referred to as the Admittance Reform Act

Section II: Definitions

(a) Unless specifically noted, the definitions located within the Immigration and Nationality Act (1990) shall be the same.

Section III: Table of Contents

(a) The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Title I: Amendment of Previous Title

Subtitle A: Amendment of Previous Sections

Section 101: Amendment of 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (c) (1)

Section 102: Amendment of 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (d) (1)

Section 103: Repeal of 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (d) (2)

Section 104: Repeal of 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (e)

Section 105: Renaming of 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (f)

Subtitle B: Establishment of New Point-Based Immigration System

Section 111: Amendment of 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (c)

Section 112: Renaming of 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (a) and (b)

Section 113: Amendment of 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (a)

Section 114: Repeal of 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (b)

Section 115: Repeal of 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (c)

Subtitle C: Severability

Section 121: Severability Clause

Subtitle D: Enactment

Section 131: Enactment Time

Section 132: Unchanging Clause

Section 133: Status Quo Clause

Title I: Amendment of Previous Title

Subtitle A: Amendment of Previous Sections

Section 101: 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (c) (1) is amended as follows:

"(A) The worldwide level of family-sponsored immigrants is equal to-

(i) 300,000, plus

(ii) Any remaining visas not assigned from employment-based immigration for the previous fiscal year, minus

(iii) Any remaining visas assigned from (ii) of paragraph (A) that havent been used in the last two fiscal years.

(iv) The sum of the number computed under paragraph (2) and the number computed under paragraph (4), plus

(v) The number (if any) computed under paragraph (3), shall be subtracted from (i) of paragraph (A)."

Section 102: 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (d) (1) is amended as follows:

"(A) The worldwide level of employment-based immigrants is equal to-

(i) 375,000, plus

(ii) Any remaining visas not assigned from family-based immigration for the previous fiscal year, minus

(iii) Any remaining visas assigned from section (ii) of paragraph (A) that haven't been used in the last two fiscal years."

Section 103: 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (d) (2) is stricken:

Section 104: 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (e) is stricken.

Section 105: 8 U.S. Code § 1151 (f) is hereby renamed to (e).

Subtitle B: Establishment of New Point-Based Immigration System

Section 111: 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (c) is stricken.

Section 112: 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (a) (b) shall be renamed (b) (c) respectively.

Section 113: 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (a) shall be amended as follows:

(a) Point-Based System Alien applicants for visas shall be graded for admittance as follows:

(1) All aliens shall be granted admission based on points allocated to them. These points shall be used to determine a candidate's eligibility for admittance.

(2) Those aliens applying for family-sponsored application who shall be scored as follows:

(A) U.S. Naturalization Test Score Points allocated for scores on the U.S. Naturalization Test shall be allocated as follows:

(i) All aliens seeking immigration to the United States must pass a naturalization test pursuant to 8 U.S. Code § 1423.

(ii) Those aliens who pass the speaking section of the exam shall be granted 6 points.

(iii) Point allocation for the reading section of the exam shall be granted as follows:

(iiia) Those aliens who read three sentences correctly on the reading section of the exam shall be granted 6 points,

(iiib) Those aliens who read two sentences correctly on the reading section of the exam shall be granted 4 points,

(iiic) Those aliens who read one sentence correctly on the reading section of the exam shall be granted 2 points.

(iv) Point allocation for the writing section of the exam shall be granted as follows:

(iva) Those aliens who write three sentences correctly on the writing section of the exam shall be granted 6 points,

(ivb) Those aliens who write two sentences correctly on the writing section of the exam shall be granted 4 points,

(ivc) Those aliens who write 1 sentence correctly on the writing section of the exam shall be granted 2 points.

(v) Point allocation for the civics section of the exam shall be granted as follows:

(va) Those aliens who correctly answer nine to ten questions shall be granted 6 points,

(vb) Those aliens who correctly answer seven to eight questions shall be granted 4 points,

(vc) Those aliens who correctly answer 6 questions shall be granted 2 points.

(vi) Should the individual in question be fluent in a second language, and can show proof of their ability under guidelines outlined by the Attorney General, they shall be given 6 points.

(vii) No part of this section shall be interpreted to change any part of the current or future Naturalization Test administered by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service. Should their test be changed in the future, this section must be revised.

(B) Family Scoring Points allocated for relationships to a family member shall be allocated as follows:

(i) Those aliens who are the adult children of a U.S. Citizen shall be granted 15 points.

(ii) Those aliens who are the spouses or minor children of a Lawful Permanent Resident of the United States shall be granted 15 points.

(iii) Those aliens who are the adult children of Lawful Permanent Residents shall be granted 10 points.

(iv) Those aliens who are the brother or sister of a U.S Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident shall be granted 5 points.

(v) Should an applicant have applied in a previous fiscal year, for every year that applicant has applied for a visa up to ten years, they shall be granted 1 point.

(iv) The highest scoring subsection shall be the only subsection applied to the applicant within paragraph (B).

(D) Age Scoring Points allocated for the age of the applicant shall be allocated as follows:

(i) Those individuals who are under the age of 18 years shall be given no points,

(ii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 18-35 shall be granted 15 points,

(iii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 36 shall be granted 10 points,

(iv) Those individuals who are in the age group of 37 shall be granted 9 points,

(v) Those individuals who are in the age group of 38 shall be granted 8 points,

(vi) Those individuals who are in the age group of 39 shall be granted 7 points,

(vii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 40 shall be granted 6 points,

(viii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 41 shall be granted 5 points,

(ix) Those individuals who are in the age group of 42 shall be granted 4 points,

(x) Those individuals who are in the age group of 43 shall be granted 3 points,

(xi) Those individuals who are in the age group of 44 shall be granted 2 points, (xii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 45 shall be granted 1 point,

(xiii) Those individuals who are over the age of 46 shall be granted no points,

(E) Experience Scoring Points allocated for experience in a field or skill which as defined by the Attorney General finds to be lacking within the United States shall be granted points as follows:

(i) Those individuals who have six years or more experience shall be granted 15 points,

(ii) Those individuals who have four to five years experience shall be granted 13 points,

(iii) Those individuals who have two to three years experience shall be granted 11 points,

(iv) Those individuals who have one year experience shall be granted 9 points

(v) The highest scoring subsection shall be the only subsection applied to the applicant within paragraph (E),

(F) Assignment of Visas Once all points have been allocated, all immigrants subject to Paragraph (1) shall have granted points tallied and compared to each other. Those with the highest scoring points shall be granted admission to the United States subject to Section 1151 (c) (1) admission amounts.

(3) Those aliens applying for employment-based application shall be scored as follows:

(A) U.S. Naturalization Test Score Points allocated for scores on the U.S. Naturalization Test shall be allocated as follows:

(i) All aliens seeking immigration to the United States must pass a naturalization test pursuant to 8 U.S. Code § 1423.

(ii) Those aliens who pass the speaking section of the exam shall be granted 6 points.

(iii) Point allocation for the reading section of the exam shall be granted as follows:

(iiia) Those aliens who read three sentences correctly on the reading section of the exam shall be granted 6 points,

(iiib) Those aliens who read two sentences correctly on the reading section of the exam shall be granted 4 points,

(iiic) Those aliens who read one sentence correctly on the reading section of the exam shall be granted 2 points.

(iv) Point allocation for the writing section of the exam shall be granted as follows:

(iva) Those aliens who write three sentences correctly on the writing section of the exam shall be granted 6 points,

(ivb) Those aliens who write two sentences correctly on the writing section of the exam shall be granted 4 points,

(ivc) Those aliens who write 1 sentence correctly on the writing section of the exam shall be granted 2 points.

(v) Point allocation for the civics section of the exam shall be granted as follows:

(va) Those aliens who correctly answer nine to ten questions shall be granted 6 points,

(vb) Those aliens who correctly answer seven to eight questions shall be granted 4 points,

(vc) Those aliens who correctly answer 6 questions shall be granted 2 points.

(vi) Should the individual in question be fluent in a second language, and can show proof of their ability under guidelines outlined by the Attorney General, they shall be given 6 points.

(vii) No part of this section shall be interpreted to change any part of the current or future Naturalization Test administered by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service. Should their test be changed in the future, this section must be revised.

(B) Skill Scoring Points allocated for skills and merit-based immigration shall be allocated as follows:

(i) The first 50,000 aliens who are "persons of extraordinary ability" as defined in this chapter shall be granted 30 points,

(ia) Any aliens applying after the first 50,000 shall be granted 25 points.

(ii) The first 50,000 aliens who are holders of advanced degrees as defined in this chapter shall be granted 20 points,

(iia) Any aliens applying after the first 50,000 shall be granted 15 points

(iii) Those aliens who are skilled workers with at least two years of training, hold college bachelor degrees or seeking work that is not temporary or seasonal, as defined in this Chapter shall be granted 15 points,

(iv) Those aliens who have no university-level education shall be granted 10 points.

(v) The highest scoring subsection shall be the only subsection applied to the applicant within paragraph (B),

(C) Age Scoring Points allocated for the age of the applicant shall be allocated as follows:

(i) Those individuals who are under the age of 18 years shall be given no points,

(ii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 18-35 shall be granted 15 points,

(iii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 36 shall be granted 10 points,

(iv) Those individuals who are in the age group of 37 shall be granted 9 points,

(v) Those individuals who are in the age group of 38 shall be granted 8 points,

(vi) Those individuals who are in the age group of 39 shall be granted 7 points,

(vii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 40 shall be granted 6 points,

(viii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 41 shall be granted 5 points,

(ix) Those individuals who are in the age group of 42 shall be granted 4 points,

(x) Those individuals who are in the age group of 43 shall be granted 3 points,

(xi) Those individuals who are in the age group of 44 shall be granted 2 points, (xii) Those individuals who are in the age group of 45 shall be granted 1 point,

(xiii) Those individuals who are over the age of 46 shall be granted no points,

(E) Experience Scoring Points allocated for experience in a field or skill which as defined by the Attorney General finds to be lacking within the United States shall be granted points as follows:

(i) Those individuals who have ten years or more experience shall be granted 25 points,

(ii) Those individuals who have eight to nine years experience shall be granted 20 points,

(iii) Those individuals who have six to seven years experience shall be granted 15 points,

(iv) Those individuals who have four to five years experience shall be granted 13 points,

(v) Those individuals who have two to three years experience shall be granted 11 points,

(vi) Those individuals who have one year experience shall be granted 9 points

(vii) The highest scoring subsection shall be the only subsection applied to the applicant within paragraph (E),

Section 114: 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (b) is stricken.

Section 115: 8 U.S. Code § 1153 (c) is stricken.

Subtitle C: Severability

Section 121: The provisions of this act are severable. Should any part of this act be declared invalid or unconstitutional, or repealed, that declaration or repeal shall not affect the parts that remain.

Subtitle D: Enactment

Section 131: This act shall come in effect at the beginning of the 2020 fiscal year

Section 132: Until such time that this act comes into effect, the current immigration system shall remain unchanged

Section 133: Should at the time of this act coming in effect any person be engaged in the immigration process, they shall be held accountable to the previously amended material of this act.

This bill was written and Sponsored by Rep. /u/Ibney00 (R-US)

This bill is Co-Sponsored by Rep. /u/srajar4084 (R-US), Rep. /u/Duggie_Davenport (R-US), Rep. /u/JarlFrosty (R-US), Rep. /u/Programmatically Sun7 (R-US), Sen. /u/DexterAamo (R-DX), and Rep. /u/dr0ne717 (R-US)

Sanctity of Residence Act

Whereas, people should have the right to feel safe within their own residences.
Whereas, people should have the right to defend themselves within their own residences.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

(1) This Act may be cited as the “Sanctity of Residence Act”.

SECTION 2. MODIFICATION OF US CODE TO ALLOW FOR SELF DEFENCE WITHIN A RESIDENCE. (1) 18 U.S. Code § 1123 shall be added to say the following:

§ 1123. Justification and Exemptions From Criminal Responsibility

(a) Any occupant of a dwelling is justified in using any degree of physical force, including deadly physical force, against another person when that other person has made an unlawful entry into the dwelling, and when the occupant has a reasonable belief that such other person has committed a crime in the dwelling in addition to the uninvited entry, or is committing or intends to commit a crime against a person or property in addition to the uninvited entry, and when the occupant reasonably believes that such other person might use any physical force, no matter how slight, against any occupant.
(b) Any occupant of a dwelling using physical force, including deadly physical force, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall be immune from criminal prosecution for the use of such force.
(c) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires, "dwelling" does not include any place of habitation in a detention facility, such as a jail, prison, or transportation vehicle used for the purpose of criminal transportation.

SECTION 2. IMPLEMENTATION

(1) This bill will go into effect immediately after passage

Respectfully submitted by Representative /u/Damarius_Maneti (D) and co-sponsored by Representatives /u/ClearlyInvsible (D) and /u/Cold_Brew_Coffee(S-DX3)

Whereas, the existing Selective Service System is discriminatory as it only applies to one sex;

Whereas, all mentally sound Americans should be allowed to be put on the front lines in defence of the nation during war time;

Therefore, be it enacted by the House of Representatives and Senate of the United States of America in Congress assembled:

Section 1: Short Title

(a) This act may be cited as the “Military Draft Equality Act”

Section 2: Amendments

(a) 50 U.S.C. Ch. 49 §3802. (a) is amended to read “Except as otherwise provided in this chapter it shall be the duty of every citizen of the United States, and every other person residing in the United States, who, on the day or days fixed for the first or any subsequent registration, is between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six, to present themselves for and submit to registration at such time or times and place or places, and in such manner, as shall be determined by proclamation of the President and by rules and regulations prescribed hereunder. The provisions of this section shall not be applicable to any alien lawfully admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant under section 1101(a)(15) of title 8, for so long as they continue to maintain a lawful nonimmigrant status in the United States.”.

Section 3: Implementation

(a) This bill shall come into effect immediately after passing into law

(b) Severability—The provisions of this act are severable; If any part of this act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, that declaration shall not affect the part which remains

This Bill is Co-Sponsored by Rep. /u/ProgrammaticallySun7 (R-US), and Rep. /u/Ibney00 (R-SR-3). This Bill was written by /u/Spacedude2169

Western is Bestern

H. RES. 52

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 3, 2019

RESOLUTION

Expressing disapproval by the House of Representatives of the President’s decision to reinstate the Mexico City Policy.

Whereas, the Mexico City Policy is a U.S. government policy, originating under President Ronald Reagan, that deprives non-governmental foreign aid organizations that receive government grants if they promote abortion as a valid family-planning policy;

Whereas, on January 23, 2017, President Donald Trump issued a Presidential Memorandum for the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development which expanded the Mexico City Policy to apply to all agencies receiving the $9 billion allocated to foreign aid annually;

Whereas, President Gunnz reinstated the aforementioned Presidential Memorandum on December 2, 2019;

Whereas, this version of the Mexico City Policy would effectively deprive governmental organizations like PREPFAR, which furthers the mission of AIDS prevention in the countries hit hardest by the disease, and MCH assistance, which provides prenatal care to new mothers across the globe, of the funding they need to complete their vital missions;

Whereas, research from the World Health Organization and The Lancet Global Health prove that the Mexico City Policy actually increases the global rate of abortion by depriving developing countries of other family resources, such as contraceptives and birth control, that government agencies and non-governmental organizations impacted by the Mexico City Policy provide;

Whereas, the Mexico City Policy and similarly restrictive policies tie the hands of the United States in distributing foreign aid, which is a strategy crucial to its counterinsurgency efforts and soft-power foreign policy arsenal; and Whereas, the Helms Amendment serves as a legislative extension of the Mexico City Policy, barring foreign aid for the performance of abortion by statute;

Whereas, the Helms Amendment effectively prevents American aid groups from performing abortions on women raped by ISIS fighters;

Whereas, the Mexico City Policy and its accompanying statuatory justifications do nothing to address the supposed vice of abortion at home, and only serve to impact the most vulnerable abroad: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

(1) strongly disapproves and condemns the President’s action in reinstating the Mexico City Policy;

(2) strongly disapproves and condemns the Mexico City Policy in all its forms; and

(3) calls upon the Congress to overturn the Presidential Memorandum of December 2, 2019 for the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Helms Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act, and all other restrictions on the ability of the United States to support vulnerable people across the world through foreign aid.

Written and sponsored by /u/OptimizedUmbrella (D-AC-3). Co-sponsored by /u/high-priest-of-helix (D-USA), /u/centrist_marxist (S-USA), /u/TopProspect17 (D-USA), /u/BlockDenied (D-USA), /u/Chris_Simms (D-USA), /u/GormanBros (D-LN-3), and /u/BirackObama (I-AC-1).

I just want to advise people to please keep in mind that the tenth amendment exists for a reason and to please stop submitting bills onto the docket which really ought to be done at the state level. I don't care if you want metal detectors in schools. That's not an issue we have purview over. I don't care if you want local police officers to have body cameras. That's not an issue we have purview over either. Please remember the tenth amendment, for God's sakes. Bless you all, have a good day. This was a fun term.

Washingtonian Gun Rights Act

Whereas residents of the District of Columbia have had their right to own a gun assaulted repeatedly;

Whereas the right to own a gun should be protected;

Whereas the District of Columbia is federal territory and the Congress reserves full lawmaking authority over it;

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION I. SHORT TITLE

(1.) This Act may be cited as the “Washingtonian Gun Rights Act”

SECTION II. DEFINITIONS

(a) Open Carry - The practice of openly carrying a firearm on one's person in a public space.

SECTION III. PROVISIONS

(1.) From the moment of the passage of this act, the practice of Open Carry shall be legal within the District of Columbia and shall not be in anyway maliciously or intentionally hampered or impaired by local law of the passage of this act except as needed for the enforcement of other laws.

(2.) From the moment of the passage of this act, it shall be legal within the District of Columbia to carry or have a firearm within a vehicle.

(3.) No waiting period in excess of three days shall be required between the purchase and actual transfer of a firearm.

(4.) No limit shall be imposed on the number of firearms a person may register, whether over a period of time or at once.

(5.) From the moment of the passage of this act, no limit may be imposed by the District of Columbia or lower authorities on the purchase, ownership, or use of a firearm magazine no matter the size of said magazine.

(6.) From the moment of the passage of this act, no ban shall or may be imposed on the purchase, sale, or ownership of semi-automatic or automatic weapons within the District of Columbia, except as part of a narrow and specific ban upon non law abiding citizens, non citizens, or those who pose a severe and immediate danger to the people of the District.

(7.) No provision of this Act shall constitute any exemption from any applicable federal law. All federal statutes, present and future, shall remain valid and enforceable.

(8.) No provision of this Act shall restraint, preclude, prohibit, or interfere with the ability of the government of the District of Columbia, or any agent or officer thereof, in the enforcement of federal law.

SECTION IV. ENACTMENT

(a) This act shall take effect immediately following its passage into law

(b) The provisions of this act are severable. If any part of this act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the act shall remain valid.

This bill is authored and sponsored by Senator /u/DexterAamo (R-DX), and co-sponsored by Representative /u/PGF3 (R-AC2), Senator /u/PrelateZeratul (R-DX), and Representative /u/Melp8836 (R-US)

My Fellow Representatives,

As you know, I have committed to not arbitrarily rush legislation or change docket order. I therefore lay out below my official docket policy.

Legislation will be rushed under the following circumstances:

1.) It is either time-sensitive, required in connection with another bill, or failed or was dropped from the previous or current Congress under some extenuating circumstance.

2.) The Primary sponsor of the bill submits to me a petition to rush the said bill containing ten or more signatures from within or outside the House of Representatives. In that case I will rush the bill if it is not clearly a meme.

/u/Autarch_Severian, Speaker of the House

Salvador Allende Resolution

A resolution expressing the need for the United States to issue an apology to the Chilean people, past and present, for interfering in their electoral process and helping to install the bloodiest, most brutal dictatorship to ever take power in Latin American, lead by the US-backed leader, Augusto Pinochet.

Whereas the United States supported revolutionary activity leading up to and after the Chilean Coup of 1973, which saw the removal of democratically-elected president, Salvador Allende;

Whereas the United States attempted to implement Operation Condor, a series of political repression and terror actions across the Southern Cone of South America in an effort to install autorotation, right wing governments throughout the region that would be sympathetic to the United States, ending in the killing of up to 80,000 suspected leftists and the taking of 400,000+ political prisoners, most of whom assumed their political positions through democratic means;

Whereas the United States set the stage for a bloody, brutal, nearly two-decade long regime that saw near complete consolidation of power under Augusto Pinochet;

Whereas the United States provided tangible, material support to the Pinochet regime after the coup;

Whereas the 2000 declassification of a CIA document titled “CIA Activities in Chile” revealed that the CIA actively supported the Pinochet regime after the overthrow of the democratically-elected Allende and subsequently maid many top military officials, most of which who were directly linked to the coup itself, paid employees of the CIA, despite knowledge of blatant human rights abuses;

Whereas the United States displayed limited effort to end the Pinochet regime’s infamous “helicopter purgess”;

Whereas the United States kept many Chilean secret police officials in close contact and on a government payroll, per declassified CIA documents;

Whereas Augusto Pinochet never stood trial for the heinous actions committed against his own people;

Whereas the United States was complicit in forever, irreparably harming the lives of millions of Argentinians by overthrowing their popularly elected leader;

Resolved, that it is the sense of the United States House of Representatives that the United States Government —

(1) Should issue a formal statement to the Chilean government, addressed to both the Chilean people and their government, apologizing for supporting and giving way to a brutal dictatorship of nearly seventeen years;

(2) Should make a concerted effort to better cooperate with Latin America and respect their free, democratic elections; and

(3) Should send a postcard from Washington D.C. depicting the monument to Pinochet-assassinated former diplomat, Orlando Letelier, on Massachusetts Avenue, with an attached invitation for top Chilean government officials to visit the Whitehouse.

If we are to be a leader in an ever changing, ever developing world, we must allow ourselves to acknowledge our wrong doings as a country. We know we can’t make them right, but we can give the people most affected the assurance that we have not forgotten, have not turned our back, and are willing to move forward.

Written by Acting Secretary /u/TopProspect17. Submitted by /u/SirPandaMaster (D-US). Final credit goes to the author.

Welcome everyone to the 16th House of Representatives. It is now time to select House leaders. The positions available are:

Speaker of the House

Majority Leader

Each party/representative needs to submit their nominations via modmail on this sub, /r/ModelUSHouse. Nominations in the comments of this thread will not be considered

Keep in mind the 2nd place finisher in the House race will be Minority Leader.

You have 48 hours to submit candidates, with a vote to follow shortly after nominations close.

Standing up for our Veterans Act Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Whereas, Our Veterans are in desperate need for help;

Whereas, Our V.A. Hospitals have a history of mistreatment;

Whereas, Our former defenders of democracy deserve the best care that we can give them;

Section 1. Short Title.

(a) This act may be cited as the “Standing up for our Veterans Act”

Section 2. Increasing funding for the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.

Increasing funding for the V.A. >(I) Following the passage of this bill, 4 billion USD shall be allocated from the Defense fund to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Section 3. Asking the President for Veteran Assistance.

(a) Asking the President to help our Veterans.
	>(I) Following the passage of this bill, the President of the United States shall be urged by Congress to start an investigation into all V.A. Hospitals to check for the mistreatment of our veterans.

Section 4. Enactment

Immediately after the passage of this bill, Section 2 of this act shall go into effect immediately after passage. Section 3 shall go into effect the next fiscal year after passage. The Secretary of Defense shall update Congress on the allocation and spending of the new funding in 24 months after passage. If any part of this bill is ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, the rest of the bill will still continue into law.

Authored and Sponsored by: House Minority Leader /u/Gunnz011 (R-US) Co-Sponsored by: Representative /u/ibney00 (R-SR-3)

Restricting the Presidential War Powers Act 2020

Whereas; war is an act which impacts thousands of people, and costs millions of lives,

Whereas; the United States should not engage into war where such action is not needed,

Whereas; numerous times in the past the President of the United States has conducted military action without the Congressional declaration of power, clearly violating the constitutional provision stating that the Congress has the sole power to declare war,

Whereas; any military action by the United States Armed Forces can cost thousands of lives, and thus should be approved by both houses of the United States Congress, where the people’s representatives shall decide if such intervention is required,

Thus; I put forth this act, to limit the powers of the President to de facto declare war, and to guarantee that any declaration of war is a bipartisan action, through requiring the Congress to confirm any deployment of troops, establishment of military bases, and other military action on foreign land.

Section 1. Severability, Title and Enactment

a) This act may be referred to as “Restricting the Presidential War Powers Act 2020”

b) If any part of this act is found unconstitutional, the rest shall remain in effect.

c) This act shall be enacted immediately after signing by the President.

Section 2. Constitutionality

a) The constitutionality of this act is derived from Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 of the United States Constitution, which provides the Congress with powers regarding declaration of war:

[The Congress shall have Power ...] To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water …

Section 3. Restriction of War

a) The United States Congress must, by a majority vote, confirm any deployment of United States Armed Forces outside of the territory of the United States.

(i) Violation of this clause shall constitute an impeachable crime.

b) Deployment of United States Armed Forces includes any case where the United States Armed Forces are introduced

(1) into hostilities or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances;
(ii) into the territory, airspace or waters of a foreign nation, while equipped for combat, except for deployments which relate solely to supply, replacement, repair, or training of such forces; or
(iii) in numbers which substantially enlarge United States Armed Forces equipped for combat already located in a foreign nation;

c) To declare war, the United States Congress must approve of it with a majority of votes.

Section 4. Drone Strikes

a) The United States Congress must, by a majority vote, confirm any use of unmanned vehicles by the United States Armed Forces outside of the territory of the United States.

b) The United States Congress must, by a majority vote, confirm any use of ballistic missiles and other unmanned means of destruction by the United States Armed Forces outside of the territory of the United States.

Section 5. Military Bases

a) The United States Congress must, by a simple majority, confirm any establishment of a United States Armed Forces base outside of the territory of the United States.

Section 6. Other Military Actions

a) Any action not specified therein of the United States Armed Forces, that is not for humanitarian purpose, or which does not provide foreign aid, outside of the United States territory, must be confirmed by the United States Senate with a simple majority.

Section 7. Exemptions

a) The United States Congress does not have to approve any actions of the United States Armed Forces which are for humanitarian purposes, or which provide foreign aid.

b) The United States Congress does not have to approve any actions of the United States Armed Forces on territories of North Atlantic Treaty Organization members and other miscellaneous alliances.

c) The United States Congress does not have to approve withdrawing military forces.

d) The provisions of this act do not apply to actions of the United States Armed Forces on United States territory.

Section 8. Process of Approval of Military Action

a) All votes of the United States Congress set therein shall be introduced as a joint resolution in any chamber of the Congress.

b) The President of the United States shall have the power to introduce resolutions regarding military actions, as set within this act.

Section 9. Current Actions

a) All military actions which by this act must be confirmed by the Congress, must be approved within sixty (60) days of the enactment of this act.

Written and sponsored by /u/KayAyTeeEe (S-AC-1), cosponsored by /u/Darthholo (S-US), /u/Gknight4 (R-LN-1) and /u/Greylat (R-US).

Voting on this piece of legislation shall be open for 48 hours unless specified otherwise by the relevant House leadership.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Workplace Democracy Act

Section 1: Right of First Refusal Mandate

(A) If an employer, which employs 250 or more employees—

(1) orders a work facility closing plan in connection with the termination of its operations at such facility;

(2) engages in negotiations to sell >50% of their assets to another private entity;

(3) relocates their corporate headquarters or >50% of their assets outside of the legal jurisdiction of the United States;

(4) engages in negotiations to merge assets with another private entity;

(5) files for bankruptcy; or

(6) plans to terminate business entirely;

the employer shall offer its employees an opportunity to purchase such said work facility in full. The value of the company, and such the maximum price an employer can offer to its employees, shall be recognized as the fair market value of the work facility, as determined by an appraisal by an independent third party jointly selected by the employer and the employees. Appraisal costs may be shared evenly between the employer and the employees, but is not required to be. The employer is required to be the main facilitator of the refusal negotiations, and is barred from introducing third parties to coerce, incentivize, harass, or influence employees to waive their right of first refusal. In the event of selling the business, employers must first approach their employees about exercising their first refusal rights before negotiating with a private entity

(B) Exemptions—Paragraph (A) shall not apply—

(1) if an employer orders a facility closure, but will retain all assets of said facility to continue or begin a business within the United States; or

(2) if an employer orders a facility closure and said employer intends to continue the business conducted at the now closed faculty at another facility within the United States.

(C) Timetable

(1) In the event of the actions laid out in Section 1, Paragraph (A) triggering, employers must first approach their employees regarding the right of first refusal before entering negotiations with any private entities.

(2) Upon receiving a written notice, employees will have two weeks to schedule a meeting with the employer, at which formal negotiations will begin.

(i) If no responses have been received from the employees upon the expiration of the two week period, or if the employees submit a written response expressing it is the will of the majority to waive their right of first refusal, then the right of first refusal shall be waived and the employer is free to enter into negotiations with private entities.

(ii) Upon entering into formal negotiations with the employer-employees, as defined in Paragraph (C), Subsection (1), no timetable shall be imposed by the government of the United States.

Section 2: Inclusive Ownership Funds

(A) Employers of 250 or more employees shall create Inclusive Ownership Funds (IOFs), where employees will hold a collective stake in at least 2% and up to 10% of a company, with monthly dividend payments distributed equally among all employees, capped at $750 a month.

(1) Excess dollars shall be sent to the United States Co-Operative Bank (USCB)

Section 3: Establishing the United States Co-Operative Bank

(A) Establishment of United States Co-Operative Bank

(1) Before the end of the 60-day grace period beginning immediately following this Act’s enactment, the government shall establish the United States Co-Operative Bank (USCB) to foster increased employee ownership of Unites States companies and greater employee participation in company decision making throughout the country.

(B) Organization

(1) Management—The President of the United States shall appoint a Director to serve as the head of the Bank, who after being confirmed by the Senate, shall serve at the will of the Secretary of the Treasury.

(2) Selected Staff—The Director appointed under subparagraph (1) may select, appoint, employ, and fix the compensation of such employees as are necessary to carry out the functions of the United States Co-operative Bank (USCB). The Director shall possess the authority to appoint a Deputy Director to assist in the management and day-to-day tasks of the United States Co-Operative Bank (USCB).

(C) Duties and Responsibilities—The United States Co-operative Bank (USCB) is authorized to provide direct loans and loan guarantees to eligible worker co-operatives, as outlined in Section 1.

(D) Terms And Conditions For Loans

(1) All worker-owned co-operatives may apply for loans

(a) If a prospective worker-owned co-operative requests a loan from the United States Co-Operative Bank (USCB), the Bank shall provide a loan that satisfies the fair market price put forward by the third party appraisal, as outlined in Section 1, Paragraph (A)

(b) The Bank retains the right to deny loans to already existing worker-owned co-operatives

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a loan that is provided or guaranteed under this section shall bear interest at an annual rate, as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury.

Section 4: Regulations on Effectiveness and the Prevention of Competition with Private, Commercial Institutions

(A) Before the end of the 60-day grace period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, the government is encouraged to prescribe such regulations as are necessary to implement this Act and the amendments made by this Act, including—

(1) regulations to ensure the safety and soundness of the Bank; and

(2) regulations to ensure that the Bank will not compete with existing commercial financial institutions.

Section 5: Authorization of Funds

(A) This Act authorizes the appropriation of an initial sum of $50,000,000,000 for the fiscal year 2020, and such sums that may be necessary for each fiscal year thereafter, as well as funding provided through the Inclusive Ownership Funds as outlined in Section (2)

Section 6: Enactment Clause

This Act shall take affect 60 days after being signed into law.

Written and submitted by /u/TopProspect17 (S-LN)

Voting on this piece of legislation shall be open for 48 hours unless specified otherwise by the relevant House leadership.

A RESOLUTION TO RECOGNIZE THE DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF TRANSPHOBIA AGAINST TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS

Whereas In a 2018 study, over half almost 41% of transgender individuals reported having attempted suicide once in their lives,

Whereas We should strive to be welcoming to everyone, even if we personally do not agree with their life choices,

Whereas Conduct by some individuals within the House and Senate has been hostile to transgender citizens within the country,

Whereas While a censure is out of order in this instance, it is more than reasonable for these chambers to take a stance against these actions and ensure the public of their position on the issue,

Resolved by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

Section I - Short Title

(a) This resolution shall be referred to as "The Joint Resolution Against Transphobic Comments within the United States House and Senate."

Section II - Resolution in Support of Transgender Individuals

(a) Congress finds that the devaluing of Transgender individuals is a serious problem throughout the United States of America;

(b) Congress recognizes that in many instances hostility in such a manner may lead to depression, loneliness, social isolation, and in many cases attempted or successful suicide.

(c) Congress asserts that the actions taken by members of its body regarding their discussion of transgender individuals is irresponsible for members of their stature,

(d) Congress wishes to express its support of transgender individuals and affirm their civil rights and liberties the same as all other United States citizens.

(e) Congress condemns individuals who have actively participated in transphobic behavior within the United States Congress and the Executive.

Written by Vice President Joseph Ibney (R-SR) Sponsored by Rep. /u/Comped (R-SR-2)

Co-Sponsored by: Rep. /u/ItsZippy23 (D-AC), President Gunnz (R-AC)

Voting on this piece of legislation shall be open for 48 hours unless specified otherwise by the relevant House leadership.

H.R. 905: The No Discrimination in Pay Act

Whereas, many current laws do not currently protect members of the LGBTQ+ community from pay discrimination.

Whereas, previous laws aimed at achieving equality must be updated to reflect our current society.

Whereas, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act has yet to become law.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1: SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as “The No Discrimination in Pay Act”

SECTION 2: PURPOSE AND FINDINGS

(1) PURPOSE:

(a) To update the Equal Pay Act of 1963 to protect the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals in addition to women.

(2) FINDINGS:

(a) A 2011 study identified a 10-32% gap in the amount men of the LGBTQ+ community were paid in contrast to heterosexual men.

(b) 29 U.S.C. 206(d)(1) allows an exception for “a differential based on any other factor other than sex.”

(c) Families with members of the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to live in poverty due to this issue.

SECTION 3: IMPLEMENTATION

(1) 29 U.S.C. 206(d)(1) is hereby amended to read

“(iv) a differential based on any other factor other than sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.”

SECTION 4: ENACTMENT

(1) This Act is to go into effect immediately after passage.

(2) Severability - If any provision of this Act or an amendment made by this Act, or the application of a provision or amendment to any person or circumstance, is held to be invalid for any reason in any court of competent jurisdiction, the remainder of this Act and the amendments made by this Act, and the application of the provisions and amendments to any other person or circumstance, shall not be affected.

This Act is written and sponsored by Rep. Polkadot (R-CH-1) (u/polkadot48), cosponsored by Rep. Mincoder (R-CH-3) (u/mincoder)

We are currently in the amendment voting stage, which shall last 48 hours. Please vote in response to the original amendment top-level comment. Any vote that is not a response to the top-level comment will not be counted.

http://www.reddit.com/r/ModelUSGov/comments/39o2ph/bill_051_firearm_act/

http://www.reddit.com/r/ModelUSGov/comments/39hqan/bill_050_nasa_budget_act/

We will now hold a recaucus for the position of Minority Leader.

The only people eligible for this position are /u/TheBittyBoy and /u/iThinkThereforeiFlam. If you have no confidence in either candidate, you may vote Abstain or Present.

This vote will last for forty-eight hours.

Orchardist Disaster Relief Act Whereas orchards are among the most fragile of farms due to the time needed to fully mature, as well as the various needs of the plants.

Whereas disasters, especially ones like hurricanes and fires, cripple orchards all across the United States.

Whereas agencies like FEMA don’t specialize in the needs of the agricultural community.

Whereas current disaster relief for orchardists is minimal, a measly $75,000 to cover up to five hundred acres.

Whereas the United States Government should increase the funds given for disaster relief to orchardists in order to protect the industry across the entire United States.

Whereas U.S. Codes § 8201-05 are the current laws regarding orchardist relief, and shall be amended to suit the needs of this Act.

Be it enacted by the Congressional Bodies of the Senate and House:

Section I: ODRA

(a) This piece of legislation shall be referred to as the Orchardist Disaster Relief Act, or ODRA for short.

Section II: Definitions

(a) U.S. Code § 8201 shall have sub-section (2) amended as follows: “The term “natural disaster” means plant disease, insect infestation, drought, fire, freeze, flood, hurricane, tornado, earthquake, lightning, and other occurrence, as determined by the Secretary.”

Section III: Eligibility

(a) U.S. Code § 8202 shall have sub-section (b) amended as follows: “An eligible orchardist shall qualify for assistance under subsection (a) only if the tree mortality of the eligible orchardist, as a result of damaging weather or related condition, exceeds 10 percent (adjusted for normal mortality).”

Section IV: Assistance

(a) U.S. Code § 8203 shall have sub-section (1) amended as follows: “reimbursement of 80 percent of the cost of replanting trees lost due to a natural disaster, as determined by the Secretary, in excess of 10 percent mortality (adjusted for normal mortality).”

Section V: Limitations on Assistance

(a) U.S. Code § 8204 shall have sub-section (a) amended as follows: “The total amount of payments that a person shall be entitled to receive under this chapter may not exceed $500,000, or an equivalent value in tree seedlings.”

Section VI: Implementation

(a) This Act will go into effect on January 1st, 2020.

(b) This Act is severable. If any portion of this act is found to be unconstitutional, the remainder shall remain as law.

Written and Sponsored by /u/Kingthero (Senior Senator of the Commonwealth of the Chesapeake); Co-sponsored by Senator /u/Zairn (D-Sierra), President /u/GuiltyAir , and Senator /u/ChaoticBrilliance (R-Sierra).

Vote on H.R. 985 below:

Great Outdoors Act of 2018

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. TITLE

This Act shall be referred to as the “Great Outdoors Act of 2018”.

SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS AND FINDINGS

(a) Congress finds that our public lands should be accessible to all children for their historical, educational, environmental, and cultural significance.

(b) “Federal Land and Waters”, for the purpose of this Act, shall refer to any public land that falls under the jurisdiction of any of the Secretaries defined in subsection (c).

(c) “Secretaries”, for the purpose of this Act, shall refer to the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture.

(d) “Student”, for the purpose of this Act, shall refer to any student at a public, private, charter, home, or any other school between the grades of three and twelve.

SECTION 3. GREAT OUTDOORS PROGRAM

(a) The Secretaries shall establish a program to provide students with free access to Federal Land and Waters, and their accompanying individuals.

(b) Students may apply and acquire a Great Outdoors Pass, which shall allow access to Federal Land and Waters for the student and --

(i) in the case of a per-vehicle fee area, all passengers of the vehicle; and

(ii) in the case of a per-person fee area, two accompanying adults.

(c) The Great Outdoors Pass shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance and be renewed under the provisions of the Act.

(d) The National Parks Department shall be appropriated an additional $3,200,000,000 annually.

SECTION 4. OTHER PROVISIONS

(a) The Secretaries shall maintain a website, accessible from both the Department of the Interior and Department of Agriculture websites, with information regarding the Program.

(b) The Secretaries shall make reasonable efforts to work with State counterparts for inclusion of State Parks into the program, and include on the website which State Parks are accessible with the Great Outdoor Program pass.

SECTION 5. ENACTMENT

This Act shall go into effect no more than 180 days following its passage.

Repeal of the Faircloth Amendment and Improving the NYCHA Act 2019

Whereas, the Faircloth Amendment inhibits the Government's ability to increase funding to housing programs throughout the US..

Whereas, we should make sure that everyone has a shelter to reside in no matter what their socio-economic status is.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. (a) This act may be cited as the “Repeal of the Faircloth Amendment and Improving the NYCHA Act 2019”.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. (a) The term “Faircloth Amendment” refers to Section 9(g) (3) of the United States Housing Act of 1937. (b) The term “NYCHA” refers to the New York City Housing Authority.

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF THE FAIRCLOTH AMENDMENT. (a) Section 9(g) (3) of the United States Housing Act of 1937("Faircloth Amendment") is hereby repealed in its entirety.

SEC. 4. IMPROVING THE NYCHA. (a) $10,000,000 $2,000,000 will be allocated to the NYCHA to help provide new houses and repairs needed to all NYCHA houses.

(b) An independent commissioner will be appointed to oversee that the money allocated will be used for the appropriate purposes. These purposes include but are not limited to;

(1) New housing; (2) Repairs to existing housing; (3) Providing housing for more families.

SEC. 5. ENACTMENT (a) Enactment.—This act shall take effect 90 days after its passage into law. (b) Severability.—The provisions of this act are severable. If any part of this act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, that declaration shall not affect the part which remains. (c) Implementation.—The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development may establish the necessary regulations to make effective the provisions of this act.

Authored and Sponsored by: /u/Superpacman04 (R-AC-2)

H.JRes.136

A Joint Resolution to nullify the effect of the recent executive order that Repeals an Existing Executive Order Concerning JCPOA

JOINT RESOLUTION

In The House of Representatives

Be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled --

SECTION 1. RECESSION. (a) In General.—The provisions of the Executive Memorandum of December 3, 2019 (84 Fed. Reg. PENDING; December 3, 2019), entitled “Ceasing United States Participation in the JCPOA”, are rescinded and shall have no force or effect. (b) Effective Date.—This Act shall take effect as if enacted on December 3, 2019.

This Joint Resolution was written by u/KellinQuinn__ (Soc.)
Sponsored in the House of Representatives by u/bottled_fox (S-LN-4)