Bills Most Written About In The News - OpenCongress

All Legislation in Congress

Hot Bills at a Glance

Energy/Environment 1 of 12
Track H.R.2454

H.R.2454 - American Clean Energy And Security Act of 2009
This is the Waxman-Markley comprehensive energy bill, known for short as "ACES," that includes a cap-and-trade global warming reduction plan designed to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions 17 percent by 2020. Other provisions include new renewable requirements for utilities, studies and incentives regarding new carbon captur...

House Passed Jul 07, 2009
Sponsor Rep. Henry Waxman [D, CA-30]
Health 2 of 12
Track H.R.3962

H.R.3962 - Affordable Health Care for America Act
This is the House health care bill that was approved by the House of Representatives on Nov. 7, 2009. Broadly, it seeks to expand health care coverage to the approximately 40 million Americans who are currently uninsured by lowering the cost of health care and making the system more efficient. To that end, it includes a new governm...

House Passed Nov 16, 2009
Sponsor Rep. John Dingell [D, MI-15]
Taxes 3 of 12
Track H.R.25

H.R.25 - Fair Tax Act of 2009
Resurfacing for the 6th consecutive congressional session, this bill strives to repeal the income tax, employment tax, and estate and gift tax, and to replace them with a national sales tax at a rate of 23%. It sets forth provisions for the states’ collection of sales tax revenues and the Treasury’s handling of the remittances of such ...

Introduced Jan 06, 2009
Sponsor Rep. John Linder [R, GA-7]
Technology 4 of 12
Track S.773

S.773 - Cybersecurity Act of 2009
This is comprehensive legislation designed to address our nation's vulnerabilities to cyber crime, global cyber espionage, and cyber attacks. It would establish a new Cybersecurity Advisory Panel within the White House and stream-line the cybersecurity effort through all levels of government. The bill also calls on the Department of Co...

Introduced Apr 01, 2009
Sponsor Sen. John Rockefeller [D, WV]
Guns 5 of 12
Track H.R.17

H.R.17 - Citizens' Self-Defense Act of 2009
In correlation with the restrictions outlined by the 1993 Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, this bill protects and provides context for the possession and use of fire arms, namely in defense of the self or family (or, when relevant, the home) against a reasonably perceived threat of unlawful bodily injury or violent felony. It als...

Introduced Feb 09, 2009
Sponsor Rep. Roscoe Bartlett [R, MD-6]
Health 6 of 12
Track H.R.3590

H.R.3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
This is the Senate's health care reform bill, passed on December 24, 2009 by a party-line vote of 60-39. It would expand health care coverage to 31 million currently uninsured Americans through a combination of cost controls, subsidies and mandates. It is estimated to cost $848 billion over a 10 year period, but would be fully offset b...

Senate Passed Dec 29, 2009
Sponsor Rep. Charles Rangel [D, NY-15]
Government/Transparency 7 of 12
Track H.R.1207

H.R.1207 - Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2009
This bill would repeal special audit protections for the Federal Reserve (31 USC 714 – Sec. 714) and calls for a full Government Accountability Office audit of the central bank to be completed before the end of 2010 and submitted to Congress for review. More background and info here.

Introduced Sep 25, 2009
Sponsor Rep. Ronald Paul [R, TX-14]
Economy 8 of 12
Track H.R.627

H.R.627 - Credit CARD Act of 2009
Broadly, this bill seeks to establish transparency between all actors participating in the consumer credit market. More specifically, it seeks to restrict unfair interest rate hikes, fees and penalties. It also bans credit card companies from knowingly issuing cards to people under the age of 18. Furthermore, it calls for the broad dis...

Bill Is Law May 22, 2009
Sponsor Rep. Carolyn Maloney [D, NY-14]
Immigration 9 of 12
Track H.R.264

H.R.264 - Save America Comprehensive Immigration Act of 2009
This legislation seeks to provide increased protection and eligibility for family-sponsored immigrants. Eligibility is extended by doubling the number of available visas from 480,000 to 960,000, by offering legalization to aliens who have been in the US for five years or are children, and by providing undocumented Haitians in the US wi...

Introduced Feb 09, 2009
Sponsor Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee [D, TX-18]
Guns 10 of 12
Track H.R.197

H.R.197 - National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009
This bill would create a national standard allowing a person to carry a concealed weapon in a state in which they are not a resident, given that they have a valid permit and are in accordance with that state’s and this bill’s restrictions.

Introduced Feb 09, 2009
Sponsor Rep. Clifford Stearns [R, FL-6]
Immigration 11 of 12
Track S.729

S.729 - DREAM Act of 2009
This bill would give states the authority to repeal the denial of an unlawful alien’s eligibility for higher education benefits, which have been previously tied state-residency. Additionally, it allows for the adjustment from status of alien to conditional permanent resident and outlines the criteria for such an adjustment by the Secre...

Introduced Mar 26, 2009
Sponsor Sen. Richard Durbin [D, IL]
Energy/Environment 12 of 12
Track H.R.2749

H.R.2749 - Food Safety Enhancement Act
This bill would give the FDA greater regulatory powers over the national food supply and food providers with the goal of preventing food-borne illnesses and ensuring food safety. More specifically, it would increase the frequency of FDA inspections of food processing plants, expand the FDA's traceback capabilities for when outbreaks do...

House Passed Aug 03, 2009
Sponsor Rep. John Dingell [D, MI-15]

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