September 20

This week in MORE POWER:

Right to IVF Spins the Block
Stopgap Funding Blocked
Women, Safety, and Immigration
Next Level: 6G
Addressing Identity Theft

Right to IVF Spins the Block

The Right to IVF Act came up for a vote again, and Republicans doubled down on blocking it. The bill fell slightly short of progressing toward becoming law; it needed 60 votes to advance to the Senate floor, where it would have been debated and then voted on. It only received 51 votes, which included two Republicans: Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska).

The bill would have ensured that Americans from any state could access in vitro fertilization (IVF) by protecting it at a federal level. Republicans say that the bill is unnecessary, while Democrats argue that Americans’ access to IVF is in danger. The effort to protect IVF through legislation began when the Alabama Supreme Court decided that embryos created through IVF are children, so discarding them was murder, which led to IVF procedures across the state stopping. They have since restarted.

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Stopgap Funding Blocked

Speaker of the House Rep. Mike Johnson's (R-La.) bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown by securing short-term funding for federal operations failed for the second time, highlighting ongoing divisions within Congress. The shutdown is primarily occurring due to disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over budget allocations, particularly concerning spending levels for various programs.

The bill failed again due to its continued inclusion of the SAVE Act, which is a controversial bill that House Democrats oppose that would require proof of citizenship for voting in federal elections. However, three Republicans voted against the bill as well. A government shutdown is looming, with only two weeks left for Congress to avoid it.

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Women, Safety, and Immigration

The House passed the Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, introduced by Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), though 158 House Democrats voted against it. If this bill becomes law, immigrants who commit or have committed certain serious crimes, such as sex offenses, domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, or violations of protection orders will become ineligible for admission into the U.S. or eligible for deportation.

According to Reuters, several studies have concluded that immigrants do not commit more crime than native-born Americans. Many Republicans, such as former President Donald Trump, have been saying that they are concerned about crimes committed by undocumented immigrants.

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Next Level: 6G

The House voted to pass the Future Uses of Technology Upholding Reliable and Enhanced (FUTURE) Networks Act. If this bill becomes law, it will make the Federal Communications Commission establish a 6G Task Force. This task force will include experts from government, academia, and industry to explore the development, use, and challenges of 6G wireless technology. We are currently using 5G, which is the fifth-generation of wireless technology. Within a year, they’ll report on 6G’s potential uses, industry standards, and any limitations like cybersecurity risks. Their findings will help guide the U.S. in adopting 6G networks.

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Addressing Identity Theft

CNBC reports that a class-action lawsuit alleges that more than 2.9 billion people have had their Social Security numbers exposed, which may include all Americans. On Tuesday, the House passed the Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act to assist those who have had their Social Security numbers misused or lost their Social Security card while it was being sent to them, usually in the mail.

If this bill becomes law, it will help these people by giving them a dedicated point of contact at the Social Security Administration (SSA), meaning that they will be assigned a specific team of employees to handle their case until it is resolved. The bill is now going to the Senate.

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What Congress Passed

H.R.1432 VETT Act

H.R.2911 Fairness for Servicemembers and their Families Act

H.R.3784 Improving Social Security’s Service to Victims of Identity Theft Act

H.R.3800 Chronic Disease Flexible Coverage Act

H.R.4190 Restoring Benefits to Defrauded Veterans Act

H.R.4424 Vietnam Veterans Liver Fluke Cancer Study Act

H.R.4758 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to streamline enrollment under the Medicaid program of certain providers across State lines, and to prevent the use of abusive spread pricing in Medicaid

H.R.5861 BRIDGE for Workers Act

H.R.6033 SPEAK Act

H.R.6160 To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a lifespan respite care program

H.R.6324 Fiscal Year 2024 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act

H.R.7100 Prioritizing Veterans’ Survivors Act

H.R.7208 Dennis John Beningo Traumatic Brain Injury Program Reauthorization Act

H.R.7218 BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Reauthorization Act

H.R.7342 Veterans Accessibility Advisory Committee Act

H.R.7406 DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act

H.R.7438 FIFA World Cup 2026 Commemorative Coin Act

H.R.7777 Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act

H.R.7816 Clear Communication for Veterans Claims Act

H.R.7858 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to establish a Medicare incident to modifier for mental health services furnished through telehealth and other telehealth services

H.R.8084 LIVE Beneficiaries Act

H.R.8089 Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act

H.R.8111 Medicaid Program Improvement Act

H.R.8112 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to further require certain additional provider screening under the Medicaid program

H.R.8292 Taxpayer Data Protection Act

H.R.9468 Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act

S.265 SIREN Reauthorization Act

S.1648 Launch Communications Act

S.2825 Dustoff Crews of the Vietnam War Congressional Gold Medal Act

S.2861 Billie Jean King Congressional Gold Medal Act

H.R.1513 FUTURE Networks Act

H.R.5179 Anti-BDS Labeling Act

H.R.5339 Protecting Americans’ Investments from Woke Policies Act

H.R.7213 To amend the Public Health Service Act to enhance and reauthorize activities and programs relating to autism spectrum disorder, and for other purposes

H.R.7909 Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act

H.R.9076 To reauthorize child welfare programs under part B of title IV of the Social Security Act and strengthen the State and tribal child support enforcement program under part D of such title, and for other purposes

S.1146 Find and Protect Foster Youth Act

S.4351 Poison Control Centers Reauthorization Act

H.R.3724 Accreditation for College Excellence Act

H.R.4790 Guiding Uniform and Responsible Disclosure Requirements and Information Limits Act