President Biden signed new legislation just before Christmas, authorizing everything from the nation’s official bird to the protection of children in youth care facilities.
Here are some of the most pressing holiday legislation:
Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act
Celebrity singer and actress Paris Hilton has spent months pushing for a federal law that would hold treatment centers and nursing facilities that serve teenagers accountable. She has been a frequent presence on Capitol Hill, encouraging lawmakers to pass the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act in the House and Senate.
December proved to be a fruitful month, with the Senate passing the measure unanimously and the House voting 367-33 to send the bill to President Biden’s desk. He signed the bill into law on Tuesday, a political win for Hilton, who has expressed potential interest in serving as an elected official.
Stop Bullying in Schools Act
Biden also passed a law creating disclosure rules for federally funded higher education institutions, requiring them to include reports involving campus bullying in their annual safety reports. The bill is sponsored by Reps. Lucy McBath (D-Ga.) and Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.) and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) Democrats) and Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana).
Bullying is often found during the college pledge process for fraternities and sororities on campus. According to North Carolina State University, more than half of college students are involved in some form of bullying.
Post office name
The president signed two bills to rename local post offices to honor community leaders in Texas and California.
The location, located at 1106 Main Street in Bastrop, Texas, is now the Sergeant Major Billy D. Waugh Post Office and honors a CIA intelligence officer who served the country for more than 50 years and Army soldiers.
Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) support the legislation.
San Francisco will rename a post office in honor of the late Sen. Diane D. Feinstein (D-Calif.).
Federal Building renamed
Biden signed several bills renaming federal buildings. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Community Clinic in Lynchburg, Virginia, will now be known as the private, state-of-the-art Desmond Doss VA Clinic.
The Veterans Administration Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was renamed after the late Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.). Senators James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) support the bill.
The late Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.) also received special honors at the Fort McHenry National Historic Monument and Historic Shrine in Baltimore, Maryland, as the Paul S. Sarbanes Visitor and Education Center will honor him Named after.
The effort is sponsored by the senator’s son, Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.), as well as the state’s congressional delegation.
Official bird of the United States
While the bald eagle has long been America’s unofficial mascot, Biden signed the first legislation making it official just before Christmas.
The Biden administration also rolled out last-minute surprises in its final month in office, including pardoning federal death row inmates. He will hand over the commander-in-chief role to President-elect Trump in January.
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