This Week In Research: March 20 - 24

Highlights from the Week

1. On March 20, 2023, President Joe Biden issued the first veto of his presidency. The bill, H J Res 30, is a resolution that would repeal a Department of Labor (DOL) rule that allows pension fund managers to consider environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues when making investments. The resolution passed by a vote of 216-204 in the House last month and then by a vote of 50-46 on March 1. To read more about the bill and how your representatives voted, click here. To read a statement from President Biden, click here. To read a statement from Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California, click here. To read a statement from Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, click here. Lastly, to read a statement from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, click here.

2. On March 16, 2023, the United States Senate passed a bill that would repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations for use of military force (AUMF) in Iraq. This bill, if passed by the House and signed by President Biden, would overturn two authorizations used by the United States government to invade the country of Iraq, twenty years after the most recent war began. It will now proceed on to the House of Representatives for a vote. Click here to read the Senate bill and how your senators voted. Click here to read a statement from the bill sponsor, Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia. Click here to read a statement from Senator Todd Young of Indiana. Lastly, click here to read a statement from Representative Barbara Lee of California.

Elections

By the Elections Research team: Nick, Zachary, Seth, and Caleb, and Elections Interns Reid, Hunter, and George

Biographies: Want to learn more about the leadership in each state legislature? You can see the full leadership rosters here:

• Legislative Leadership

Want to learn more about which committees elected officials are a part of? You can see the full list of committees for each state here:

• State Legislative Committees

• Connecticut State Legislative Committees

Want to learn more about some special elections happening in 2023? You can see the elections that have been held so far this year here:

• Georgia State Legislative Special Elections

Officials

By the Officials Research team: Noah, Johanan, Neal, Thomas, and Israel and Officials Interns: Brittany, Caroline, and Morgen

Public Statements: 142 statements were added this week. See highlights from the week for notable statements.

Key Votes:

• States: 35 new votes were added.

  • Arizona’s Senate passed SB 1428 which seeks to prohibit local municipalities from preventing gun shows from operating.

  • Idaho’s Senate passed S 1056 which seeks to repeal state law banning groups of people from parading in public with firearms in any Idaho city or town.

  • Washington’s House passed HB 1240 which seeks to prohibit the sale, manufacture, delivery, and purchase of assault weapons across the state.

• U.S. Congress: 3 votes were added.

  • H J Res 27 - Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Department of Defense and the Environmental Protection Agency relating to “Revised Definition of ’Waters of the United States’ ”

  • HR 140 - Protecting Speech from Government Interference Act

  • S 619 - COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023
    

Special Interest Groups

• This year to date, the SIGS team has entered 8,739 ratings and 940 endorsements for candidates.