Introduction

Causes - powered by Countable - provide millions of advocates an intuitive understanding of pending legislation and streamlines the communication process with lawmakers, enabling advocates to influence voting decisions effectively. Advocates can also sound off on issues of national, local, or personal importance: policy, news, campaigns, and more. 

As the only advocacy software to also run a community that consistently engages, Causes gives Countable a unique perspective. We get first-hand insights into what advocates think about and discuss, and we're passing these insights on to you. 

In this policy roundup, we’ve gathered the latest bills advocates are talking about as well as highlighting comments from the advocates themselves.

BILL: Expand the Accessibility of Federal Food Assistance? - EATS Act of 2023 - H.R.3183

The Bill

H.R.3183 - EATS Act of 2023

Bill Status

• Introduced by Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-CA) on May 10, 2023
  
  
• Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY) is introducing companion legislation in the Senate.
  
  
• Committees: Senate - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
  
  
• House and Senate: Not yet voted
  
  
• President: Not yet signed

Bill Overview

• This bill will permanently expand Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) eligibility to millions of college students experiencing hunger. It seeks to amend the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 by removing certain eligibility disqualifications restricting otherwise eligible students enrolled in higher education from participating in SNAP.
  
  
• Under the COVID-19 public health emergency, temporary exemptions were in place to aid students, but those provisions expire on June 11, 30 days after the expiration of the emergency measures.
  
  
• The bill would take effect on Jan. 2, 2024.

What's in the bill?

Addresses food insecurity among student populations

• Research from the Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice found that food insecurity impacts 39% of students at two-year institutions and 29% of students at four-year institutions.
  
  
• Students of color are disproportionately impacted: 75% of Indigenous, 70% of Black, and 70% of American Indian or Alaska Native students experienced food and housing insecurity.

Permanently removes barriers and expand access to SNAP

• It would remove the burdensome "work for food" rules for students needing additional food assistance.

Eliminates barriers to accessing SNAP related to students' place of residence

• Currently, the Food and Nutrition Act contains provisions that can disqualify students who live on campus from accessing SNAP simply because they reside at an institution of study. 

What advocates are saying:

BILL: Ban Gas Stoves Amidst Health Concerns? - Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act - H.R.1615

The Bill

H.R.1615 - Gas Stove Protection and Freedom Act

Bill Status

• Introduced by Rep. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA): March 17, 2023
• Committees: House - Energy and Commerce 
• House and Senate: Not yet voted
• President: Not yet signed

Bill Overview

• On Feb. 1, 2023, the Department of Energy (DOE) proposed an "energy efficiency standard" for gas cooking products. The proposed rule would require energy performance standards for gas stoves and seeks to replace them over time with electric alternatives. The law would ban stoves that consume over 1,204 British thermal units annually.
  
  
• This bill prohibits the Consumer Product Safety Commission from using federal funds to regulate gas stoves as a banned hazardous product.
  
  
• It also blocks the Commission from enforcing product safety standards that prohibit the use or sale of gas stoves or substantially increase their price, making them less competitive.

What's in the bill?

Criticizes New York's ban on future propane and natural gas stoves

• Starting in 2026, New York will phase out all-natural gas stoves and furnaces in new builds amid growing research on methane's climate and health impacts.
  
  
• Eleven city attorneys general from Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island, Oregon, Vermont, D.C., and Washington submitted a letter to the Consumer Product Safety in support of their investigation into gas stove safety.

Blocks rule that would limit access to gas stoves

• Prohibits DOE from finalizing a proposed rule that would limit consumer access to gas kitchen ranges.

Fights against new energy performance standards

• According to the sponsors, the proposed energy performance standard would eliminate 95% of gas appliances currently in commercial and residential use.

Focuses on consumer choice

• The bill states that there has been increasing momentum to disincentivize and forbid the use of natural gas stoves which curbs consumer choice and cripples manufacturers.

What advocates are saying:

BILL: Should the U.S. Leave the World Health Organization? - WHO Withdrawal Act - H.R.79

The Bill

H.R.79 - WHO Withdrawal Act

Bill Details

• Introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) on Jan. 9, 2023
• Committees: House - Foreign Affairs
• House & Senate: Not yet passed
• President: Not yet signed

Bill Overview

• The bill requires the president to immediately withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO). It prohibits the use of federal funds for WHO projects.
  
  
• The bill also repeals the 1948 act authorizing the U.S. to join the WHO.

What's in the bill?

Withdraws the U.S. from WHO

• It will prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to fund the organization. According to the Illinois Freedom Caucus, the U.S. has sent over $4 billion to WHO since 2010.

Establishes U.S. autonomy over public health protocols

• It will allow U.S. health authorities to determine protocols, warnings, and safety plans for future pandemics and health emergencies. 

What advocates are saying:

BILL: Increase Social Security Benefits for Public Sector Workers - Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 - H.R.82

The Bill

H.R.82- Social Security Fairness Act of 2023

Bill Status

• Introduced by Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA): March 9, 2023
• Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) is the lead Democratic sponsor
• The bipartisan bill had seven original co-sponsors and currently has 197 co-sponsors
• Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means: March 9, 2023 
• House and Senate: Not yet voted
• President: Not yet signed

Bill Overview

• The bill would ensure that public sector employees like firefighters, police officers, teachers, and their families, receive full Social Security benefits regardless of other benefits they are entitled to receiving.
  
  
• The bill would repeal provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals already receiving other benefits, like a state or local government pension.
  
  
• The changes proposed in the bill will be effective for benefits payable after Dec. 2023.
  
  
• The Social Security Fairness Act would repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) from the Social Security Act. Both provisions were aimed at reducing high payouts and retirement windfalls.
  
  
• The bill is identical to the Senate version of the bill, the Social Security Fairness Act (S. 597), reintroduced by Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) on March 1.

What's in the bill?

A fairer way of calculating payments

• When calculating payments, Social Security only takes into consideration covered employment.
  
  
• When an individual is employed by a non-covered, public sector employer that does not pay into Social Security, it appears that they have a much lower income and reduces the benefits they are entitled to. 

Eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision

• The bill eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), enacted in 1983, which reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who received a pension from a job in which they did not pay Social Security taxes.
  
  
• WEP impacts approximately two million Social Security beneficiaries.

Eliminates the Government Pension Offset

• The bill will also eliminate the Government Pension Offset (GPO), enacted in 1977, which reduces Social Security benefits for spouses and widows who already receive a pension of their own.
  
  
• The offset currently impacts approximately 780,000 retirees.

 What advocates are saying:

BILL: Should We Reduce Online Privacy in Fight Against Child Abuse? - EARN IT Act of 2023 - S.1207

The Bill

S.1207 - Eliminating Abusive and Rampant Neglect of Interactive Technologies Act of 2023 or the EARN IT Act of 2023

Bill Details

• Introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on April 19, 2023
• Co-sponsored by Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) 
• Committee: Senate - Judiciary
• House - Not Yet Voted
• Senate - Not Yet Voted
• President - Not Yet Signed

Bill Overview

• Reintroduced from previous sessions, the legislation incentivizes the tech industry to take online child sexual exploitation seriously. 
  
  
• The bill removes blanket immunity for violations of laws related to online child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
  
  
• It amends Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which states that users are legally responsible for the content they upload and not the platforms themselves.
  
  
• Service providers and platforms will now be responsible for helping to combat child sexual exploitation and to eradicate CSAM.
  
  
• The bill establishes a National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention that will be responsible for developing voluntary best practices. 
  
  
• It will also provide recourse for survivors and tools for enforcement.

What's in the bill?

Establishes a National Commission on Online Child Sexual Exploitation Prevention

• The Commission will consist of the heads of DOJ, DHS, and FTC, along with 16 other members appointed equally by Congressional leadership.
  
  
• These members will include representatives from law enforcement, survivors and victims' services organizations, constitutional law experts, technical experts, and industry leaders.

Repeals Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act 

• Passed in 1996, Section 230 clarified the responsibilities of online platforms and users online. Under the bill, users are legally responsible for the content they upload and not the platforms they use to upload.
  
  
• Section 230 helps guarantee free speech and digital privacy online and protects users from censorship.
  
  
• Currently, all online platforms are automatically given Section 230 protection — the EARN IT Act seeks to change that.

Creates a set of "best practices"

• Online platforms will have to abide by a set of "best practices" in order to "earn" Section 230 protection. The best practices would require tech companies to build "backdoors" into their encryption schemes should the government demand access to unencrypted user data.
  
  
• In the fight against child abuse, the bill would target encryption, ultimately impacting online privacy and security for all users and citizens.

Involves Congress in monitoring

• Federal law already requires that providers report any CSAM they find to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The NCMEC is already receiving nearly one million reports per month. 
  
  
• Congress will have a more active hand in compelling platforms to monitor and report on user data.

What advocates are saying: