Explanation of H.J. Res. 92

This joint resolution allows Congress to give consent for the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia to make changes to the Washington Area Transit Regulation Compact. The changes include the appointment process for Board Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority and the requirements for their roles.

The resolution also includes provisions for altering, amending, or repealing the resolution in the future and ensuring that the United States' rights and jurisdiction over the region covered by the Compact are not affected. It states that the Compact should be interpreted broadly to achieve its goals and that any invalid parts will not impact the rest of the agreement.

The new rules will go into effect upon the enactment of this joint resolution.

Passed by the House of Representatives on July 17, 2017.

Summary of H.R. 1770 - OPEN Government Data Act

Purpose: This law is designed to improve how the federal government collects, manages, and shares its data with the public. It aims to make government data more open, accessible, and useful for citizens, businesses, researchers, and others to promote transparency, innovation, and better government services.

Main Points in Simple Terms

1. Government Data is Valuable

Federal government data is considered a national resource. When this data is open and easy to access, it helps make government more efficient, supports the economy, encourages scientific discovery, and strengthens democracy.

2. Data Should Be Open By Default

Government data should generally be available to the public unless there is a legal reason (like privacy or security concerns) not to share it.

3. Data Must Be Machine-Readable and Open Format

Data should be provided in formats that computers can easily read and use, allowing developers and the public to work with it easily.

4. Agencies Must Inventory Their Data

Each federal agency must keep a clear list (called an Enterprise Data Inventory) of all the data they have. This list helps identify which data can be shared publicly and which must remain private for legal or security reasons.

5. Public Data Should Be Shared on a Central Website

The government will maintain a central website (currently Data.gov) where people can find and use government data.

6. Agencies Must Create Open Data Plans

Each agency will develop plans on how to collect and share data openly, including working with the public and other organizations to improve data quality and use.

7. Chief Information Officers' (CIOs) Role

The CIOs of agencies are responsible for managing data properly, ensuring data is open and accessible when possible, and collaborating with others to make data useful.

8. Protecting Sensitive Information

This law does not force agencies to disclose personal, classified, or legally protected information.

9. Reporting and Oversight

Federal agencies will periodically review and report how well they manage and use their evaluation and analysis capacities. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will summarize these reviews for Congress and may suggest improvements.

10. Support Tools and Best Practices

An online repository will be created to share tools, best practices, definitions, and standards to help agencies adopt open data approaches.

Why This Matters

• Transparency: Citizens can see what government data is available and how it's used.
• Innovation: Public access to data fuels creativity by entrepreneurs, researchers, and nonprofits.
• Efficiency: Agencies can identify ways to reduce waste and improve services.
• Accountability: Making data open helps hold government more accountable.

Implementation Timeline

• The law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.
• Agencies have 1 year to start publishing data in open, machine-readable formats.
• The technology portal (Data.gov) must be up and running within 180 days after the law takes effect.
• Periodic reports to Congress will track progress and results.

In Short

This law requires the U.S. federal government to actively manage its data, keep an inventory of what data it has, and publish most government data online in easy-to-use formats. It aims to empower the public, improve government services, and foster innovation, while protecting sensitive information.

H.R. 1847 - Prevent All Soring Tactics (PAST) Act Explained

What is this bill about?

This bill aims to strengthen laws against "soring", a cruel practice where horses’ legs or hooves are intentionally hurt or irritated to exaggerate their gait for horse shows and competitions. The bill updates the existing Horse Protection Act to define more clearly what is illegal, make penalties tougher, and improve how the Department of Agriculture enforces these rules.

Key points in simple terms

• New Definitions: The bill explains what “action devices” are — such as special boots or chains that can cause pain — and says that any use of these to hurt horses for shows is illegal.
• Expanded Illegal Acts: It makes it illegal not only to sore horses but also to use weighted shoes, pads, or other devices that change how a horse moves unnaturally for competitions.
• Stronger Penalties: People caught breaking the rules can be fined higher amounts (up to $5,000) and face longer jail times (up to 3 years). Repeat offenders could be banned permanently from participating in horse shows and related events.
• Better Enforcement: The Department of Agriculture will license and oversee inspectors to check horses at shows and auctions ensuring horses are not sore. Inspectors will be held to strict standards to prevent conflicts of interest.
• Public Transparency: Violations will be published online so event organizers can know if individuals have broken the rules before allowing them to participate.
• Multiple Violations Lead to Suspension: A horse found sore will be disqualified from shows for increasingly longer periods: 180 days for the first time, one year for the second, and three years for the third infraction.
• Clarifies Who is Responsible: The bill holds not just the people who directly hurt the horses accountable but anyone who knowingly participates in activities involving sored horses, like transporting or giving instructions to exhibitors.

Why is this important?

Soring causes severe pain and long-term damage to horses just to make them perform a particular style of walking that some people find impressive. It’s considered animal cruelty and distorts fair competition in horse shows. Despite existing laws, soring has continued, especially in breeds like Tennessee Walking Horses and Racking Horses. This bill aims to close loopholes, give inspectors more power and independence, increase penalties, and raise awareness to finally put an end to these harmful practices.

In summary

The PAST Act makes laws tougher against hurting horses with devices or chemicals to change how they walk in competitions. It improves how inspectors are trained and licensed, increases punishments for those who break the law, and makes enforcement stronger and more transparent. Ultimately, it helps protect the welfare of horses and promotes truthful, fair horse competitions.

Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act

This bill aims to protect taxpayers from bearing financial responsibility for the reclamation of surface coal mining operations. It proposes changes to the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 to ensure that coal mining companies provide suitable bonding to cover the costs of environmental cleanup. Specifically, the bill prohibits self-bonding by coal mining companies, establishes rules for surety bonds to minimize financial risks, and sets requirements for collateral to be posted for bonds. It also allows the Secretary to include executive compensation as collateral for a bond.