Summary of H.R. 806 - Ozone Standards Implementation Act of 2017

Purpose: This law aims to help U.S. states more effectively manage and implement air quality standards specifically related to ground-level ozone, which affects health and the environment. It also seeks to make the process fairer and more transparent by considering technology limits and economic factors.

Key Points Explained Simply

1. State Deadlines for Ozone Air Quality Designations and Plans

• States must decide by October 26, 2024, which areas meet or do not meet the 2015 ozone pollution standards.
• By October 26, 2025, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalizes these designations for all areas.
• By October 26, 2026, states must submit plans to meet the ozone standards.

2. Preconstruction Permits & Ozone Standards

• The 2015 ozone pollution rules generally won't be applied to construction or modification permits if the permit application was complete or announced before the EPA's final area designation.
• Applicants still must install the best available pollution control technology.
• Local and state authorities can require stricter pollution controls if they want.

3. Reviewing Air Quality Standards Less Often

• The EPA will review national air quality standards for all pollutants every 10 years instead of every 5 years, giving more time between reviews.
• The ozone standard won't be reviewed or proposed for change before October 26, 2025.

4. Considering Technology and Costs in Setting Standards

• The EPA can, as a secondary step, consider how possible it is to meet standards with current technology.
• They must also think about impacts on health, economy, social welfare, and energy when setting or changing standards.

5. Timely Rules and Guidance from the EPA

• When the EPA sets new or revised air standards, it must publish the rules and guidance for how to apply them at the same time.
• If such guidance isn’t ready, the new standards won’t be used to judge certain permit applications until it is.

6. Relief from Penalties If Pollution Is Beyond Control

• If a state fails to meet ozone or particulate matter standards because of pollution coming from outside its borders, unusual events (like wildfires), or from vehicles beyond its control, it won’t be penalized for those violations.
• States must still work to meet standards and control pollution as much as possible.

7. Studies and Reports to Help Improve Understanding

• The EPA will study how ozone forms in the atmosphere, including the impacts of human-made and natural pollution.
• The report will include analysis of winter ozone formation and cost-effective ways to reduce ozone.
• EPA will use this research when making future rules and guidance.
• The EPA will also report to Congress on how pollution coming from other countries affects air quality in the U.S.

8. Definitions and Limits

• The Act defines important terms like “best available control technology” and “preconstruction permit” to clarify their meaning within the law.
• No extra federal funding is authorized for this Act—it must use existing budgets.

In Simple Terms

This law makes it easier for states to categorize areas based on air quality, gives more time and flexibility in setting and reviewing pollution limits, and ensures that rules consider what technology can realistically do and how costly it is. It also gives protection to states from penalties when pollution comes from outside their control and requires important scientific studies to better understand ozone pollution. Finally, it demands the EPA provide clear guidance alongside new rules to help states and businesses comply effectively.

Simple Explanation of H.R. 849 - Protecting Seniors Access to Medicare Act

This bill, called the Protecting Seniors Access to Medicare Act, removes a part of the Affordable Care Act (often called "Obamacare") that created something called the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).

What is the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)?

The IPAB was set up to help control Medicare costs by making recommendations on how to reduce spending if Medicare costs were getting too high. It was designed to try and keep Medicare financially healthy without needing Congress to act every time.

What does this bill do?

This bill gets rid of the IPAB completely. It cancels the rules that created it and removes its powers, so that Medicare cost control decisions won't be handled by this board anymore. Instead, decisions will go back to how they were made before the Affordable Care Act.

Why does this matter?

Some people were concerned that the IPAB could make automatic Medicare spending cuts that might affect healthcare services for seniors without enough oversight. By repealing the IPAB, this bill aims to protect seniors’ access to Medicare services and ensure that any changes are made through regular legislative processes.

The bill was passed by the House of Representatives on November 2, 2017.