Cornyn Highlights Bills Signed Into Law in 2023

“As we close out the first half of the 118^th Congress, I’m proud to see several critical bills I’ve sponsored cross the finish line and am hopeful we can build on this progress in the coming year,” said Sen. Cornyn.  

Bills sponsored by Sen. Cornyn that were enacted into law as standalone bills or as part of the FY24 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) include:

• Securing American Acquisitions, Readiness, and Military Stockpiles (ARMS) Act: Gives the U.S. Department of Defense enhanced procurement authorities to quickly refill American defense stockpiles after the President provides aid to an ally or partner attacked by a foreign adversary.
• Sensible Classification Act: Increases accountability and oversight of the classification system, limits overclassification, and directs federal agencies to justify security clearance requirements.
• Cranes of Concern at our Ports (CCP) Act: Requires the federal government to evaluate threats to U.S. ports posed by cranes manufactured in countries of concern, especially those made by China’s Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company (ZPMC).
• Airport Infrastructure Resources (AIR) Security Act: Extends Sen. Cornyn’s legislation prohibiting federal airport improvement funds from being used to purchase passenger boarding bridges from companies that have violated intellectual property rights and threaten U.S. national security.
• Protecting Hunting Heritage and Education Act: Ensures students have access to educational enrichment programs and activities such as archery and hunting safety education under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.

Bills sponsored by Sen. Cornyn that have passed the Senate and await action in the House of Representatives include:

• Debbie Smith Act reauthorization: Would provide state and local law enforcement agencies with resources to complete forensic analyses of crime scenes and untested rape kits.
• Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Program Authorization Act: Would reauthorize a nationwide law enforcement program that uses evidence-based and data-driven approaches to reduce violent crime.
• Project Safe Childhood Act: Would make improvements to the investigation and prosecution of online child exploitation.
• Find and Protect Foster Youth Act: Would create a feedback loop between states and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration of Children and Families to provide better care and information-sharing for missing and runaway foster youth.
• American Law Enforcement Sustaining Aid and Vital Emergency Resources (SAVER) Act: Would promote law enforcement officers’ access to quality trauma kits that allow them to immediately respond to civilian or first responder injuries during emergency calls.
• Meaningful Access to Court Proceedings for Victims of Pan Am Flight 103 Act: Would allow surviving relatives of the victims killed in the terrorist attack on Pan Am Flight 103 that crashed above Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988 to access the criminal court proceedings remotely.
• Customs-Trade Partnerships Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Pilot Program Act: Would create a pilot program to strengthen the CTPAT program and guard against terrorism. 
• Starr-Camargo Bridge Expansion Act: Would give authority to increase the toll bridge’s number of lanes or allow a rail line to be built that runs from Rio Grande City, Texas, to Mexico and facilitates hundreds of millions of dollars in cross-border trade.
• Improving Access to Our Courts Act: Would allow federal court proceedings to be conducted at the U.S. District Court in Alpine, Texas, which is one of the seven Western District of Texas courts and serves nine Texas counties.

Earlier this year, Sen. Cornyn was named the most effective Republican Senator for the 117^th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.