Votes in the US House
H.R.788:StopSettlementSlushFunds
Act of 2023
Voting 211 for and 197 against, the House on Thursday passed a bill that prohibits the federal government from entering into or enforcing a settlement agreement on behalf of the United States that provides for a payment to any person or entity other than the United States. The bill provides exceptions to allow payments that remedy actual harm (including to the environment) caused by the party making the payment, or constitute a payment for services rendered in connection with the case.
Government officials or agents who violate this prohibition may be removed from office or required to forfeit to the government any money they hold for such purposes to which they may otherwise be entitled.
Agencies must report annually for seven years to the Congressional Budget Office about the parties, funding sources and distribution of funds for their settlement agreements permitted by the exceptions in this bill. The Office of Inspector General for each agency must also report annually on any settlement agreements that violate the bill’s requirements.
Yes: Brian Fitzpatrick, R-1st (Bucks, parts of Montgomery); Dan Meuser, R-9th (Schuylkill, parts of Berks)
No: Madeleine Dean, D-4th (Montgomery, parts of Berks); Susan Wild, D-7th (Lehigh, Northampton, parts of Monroe and Carbon)
Not Voting: Matt Cartwright, D-8th (most of Monroe)
SJRes.38: A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Highway Administration relating to “Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Electric Vehicle Chargers”. Voting 209 for and 198 against, the House on Thursday passed a joint resolution that nullifies the final rule issued by the Federal Highway Administration titled Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Electric Vehicle Chargers and published on February 21, 2023. The rule temporarily waives the Buy America requirements for steel, iron, manufactured products and construction materials in electric vehicle chargers.
FHWA defines an EV charger to mean the EV charger unit itself and the equipment contained inside it. EV charger housing components that are predominantly steel and iron are excluded from the waiver and must meet current FHWA Buy America requirements.
The FHWA final rule waives Buy America requirements for all EV chargers and components that are manufactured from the effective date of this waiver until June 30, 2024. Further, the final assembly must occur in the United States, and the installation must begin by October 1, 2024.
Beginning with EV chargers manufactured on July 1, 2024, the FHWA phases out waiver coverage for those previously covered EV chargers where the cost of U.S. manufactured components does not exceed 55% of the total components cost. (Under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, more than 55% of the components of manufactured goods must be obtained from U.S. manufacturers and sources.)
This waiver remains in place until terminated by the FHWA.
Yes: Meuser
No: Dean, Fitzpatrick, Wild
Not Voting: Cartwright