This bill, known as the "Universal Security of American Values Act of 2017" or the "USA Values Act of 2017", was introduced by Ms. Jackson Lee and Mr. Raskin in the House of Representatives. It aims to prohibit the enforcement of certain Executive orders issued by the President of the United States.

The bill argues that the Constitution of the United States is the fundamental document that governs the country, and no individual, including the President, has the power to violate it. The bill specifically takes issue with the Executive order issued on January 26, 2017, titled "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States", and declares it null and void, with no force or effect. It states that this Executive order goes against national values, as symbolized by the Statue of Liberty, and should not be implemented, enforced, or carried out.

The bill then goes on to state that no Executive order can be enforced if it directly violates an existing Executive order, public law, or fully executed regulatory agency process related to the Fourth Amendment due process, Fourteenth Amendment protections, the Immigration and Nationality Act, laws protecting civil liberties, civil rights, human rights of individuals lawfully admitted into the US, and laws that impact individuals based on factors like race, religion, ethnicity, place of birth, place of residence, gender, sexual orientation and identity, age, or statuses that do not pose a health threat to the general population.

Finally, the bill states that no funds, including fees, provided to the Secretary of Homeland Security or any other federal agency official in any fiscal year may be used to implement, enforce, or carry out any policy changes set forth in the Executive order titled "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States" issued on January 27, 2017.

Simple Explanation of H.R. 724 - "SOLVE Act of 2017"

What is this bill about?

This bill was introduced in Congress to cancel and stop an Executive Order signed on January 27, 2017, called "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States." The Executive Order had put restrictions on travel and immigration from certain countries, aiming to prevent terrorism.

What does the bill do?

• It says that starting from January 27, 2017, the Executive Order has no legal effect anymore. This means it cannot be followed, enforced, or used by the government in any way.
• It forbids the use of any federal money (including fees collected) to carry out or enforce the Executive Order. So, no government funds can be spent on applying this travel and immigration restriction.

Why was this bill introduced?

Many members of Congress who supported this bill believed the Executive Order was unfair or harmful, possibly targeting people based on their nationality or religion, and wanted to protect the values of welcoming immigrants and refugees to the United States. This bill reflects the idea that America should continue to be a place that offers freedom and safety to people from around the world.

Summary:

The SOLVE Act of 2017 aims to stop the government from enforcing a travel ban by declaring that ban invalid and preventing any federal funds from being used to put it into action.