Highlights from the Week
1. On March 1, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Reduce Exacerbated Inflation Negatively Impacting the Nation Act, which seeks to require the Office of Management and Budget and the Council of Economic Advisers provide an inflation estimate for each executive order that is projected to cause an annual gross budgetary effect of at least $1 billion dollars. Click here to view the highlights, full bill text, and vote breakdown.
2. From March 1 to March 4, the Conservative Political Action Conference was held in Washington, D.C. This convention, a gathering of high-profile Republicans and conservatives from around the country, is sponsored by the American Conservative Union, a political organization that advocates for conservative ideas and policies. This year, some of the key speakers were candidates for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination: former President Donald Trump, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy; additionally, other well-known Republicans such as Texas Senator Ted Cruz and Florida Senator Rick Scott also addressed the conference. To read the transcript of President Trump’s address, click here. Additionally, you can click here for the transcript of Ambassador Haley’s speech, and here for the transcript from Mr. Ramaswamy’s remarks.
3. On March 8, the United States Senate voted on H J Res 26, a resolution that disapproves of the action of the District of Columbia Council in approving the Revised Criminal Code Act. This bill, which was passed in the House last month and one we highlighted then, passed overwhelmingly in the Senate by a vote of 84–14. It will now go to President Joe Biden’s desk. If signed, it would override the updated criminal code passed by the council in the District of Columbia, which Congress still has jurisdiction over. To read the bill text and vote breakdown in the Senate, click here. To read our previous coverage of this bill, click here. To read a statement from the bill sponsor, Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, click here. Lastly, to read a statement from Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland, who voted against the resolution, click here.
Elections
By the Elections Research team: Nick, Zachary, Seth, and Caleb, and Elections interns Reid, Hunter, and George
Biographies: Want to learn more about officials who have been sworn in at the federal level? You can see the full list of officials here:
Want to learn more about the leadership in each state legislature? You can see the full leadership rosters here:
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:
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:
Officials
By the Officials Research team: Noah, Johanan, Neal, Thomas, Bibi, Craig, and Israel and Officials interns: Brittany, Caroline, and Morgen
Public Statements: 375 statements were added this week. See highlights from the week for notable statements.
Key Votes:
States: 43 new votes were added.
Indiana’s House passed HB 1334, which seeks to increase restrictions on voter registration. Click here to see highlights, vote breakdown, and full bill text.
Kansas’s Senate passed SB 208, which repeals all previously established ballot drop boxes in the state. This bill seeks to prohibit county election offices from using remote ballot boxes for the purpose of return of advance voting ballots and exempts ballot boxes located in county election offices from meaning of remote ballot boxes.
New Mexico’s House passed HB 4, which seeks to expand various voting rights including: automatic voter registration at state motor vehicle department offices, voting restoration for felons, and making Election Day a school holiday. Click here to see highlights, vote breakdown, and full bill text.
U.S. Congress: 2 votes were added.
Special Interest Groups:
This year to date, the SIGS team has entered 6,084 ratings and 745 endorsements for candidates.