Thanks to Google Bard, I prompted the following question for each Title within the H.R.211 Debt Ceiling bill: “Summarize the following section as if I was an elementary school student.” I’m not a lawyer nor am I a genius, so somewhere below that is ideal. It’s also worth reminding people that it’s a Language Learning Model, so its specialty is analyzing language! Here are the results:

Division A

Title I

Okay, I didn’t use the prompt here because it’s straightforward. Spending will increase from $1,470,979,000,000 in 2024 each year to $1,608,788,000,000 in 2033.

Title II

• The bill makes it so that the government has to check with the states before they build a new power plant or other big project that might pollute the water.
• The states have to make sure that the project won’t make the water too dirty.
• If the states say the project is okay, the government can build it.
• If the states say the project is not okay, the government can’t build it.

This bill is important because it helps to protect our water quality.

Title III

• The bill says that the government can’t change the rules about student loans without Congress saying it’s okay.
• This is important because it makes sure that the government doesn’t change the rules in a way that hurts people who have student loans.
• The bill also says that the government can’t make new rules about student loans that would cost too much money.
• This is important because it makes sure that the government doesn’t spend too much money on student loans.

Title IV

• The bill promotes renewable energy by making it more profitable for companies to produce electricity from sources like solar and wind power.
• It aims to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and pollution.
• Companies can receive tax breaks for building renewable energy projects in communities affected by the decline of fossil fuel industries, creating jobs and economic opportunities.
• The bill adjusts the tax credit for energy-efficient property, reducing the credit percentage for solar energy property and other energy-efficient property.
• The tax credit for zero-emission nuclear power production is repealed.
• The bill introduces new rules and standards for energy efficiency in buildings, allowing partial deductions for buildings that don’t fully meet efficiency requirements.
• Changes are made to tax credits for energy-efficient homes and clean vehicles, including modifications to credit amounts and limitations.
• Some tax credits related to advanced energy projects, manufacturing, electricity production, and fuel production are repealed.
• Certain sections related to energy property and renewable resources are removed, but there are transition rules for taxpayers with existing contracts or investments made before April 19, 2023.

Overall, the bill encourages the use of renewable energy, promotes energy efficiency in buildings, and makes changes to tax credits for energy-efficient property, homes, vehicles, and advanced energy projects.

Division C

Title I

• The bill changes some rules about how the government measures how well states are doing in reducing the number of people on welfare.
• It excludes certain cases from being counted when determining the minimum participation rate for a state. This means that some cases won’t be included when measuring how well a state is doing.
• The bill removes a rule that allowed people to receive small checks even if they didn’t meet certain work requirements.
• The bill requires each state to report certain information about how well their welfare programs are working, like the percentage of people who find jobs after leaving the program and the earnings of those who find jobs.

Title II

• The bill changes a rule about who can receive assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. It raises the age at which some people are exempt from the work requirement from 50 to 56.
• The bill also adds a rule that says states cannot save up unused exemptions from one year to the next. They have to use them within the same year.
• The bill states that the purpose of the SNAP program is to help adults with low incomes find jobs and earn more money. This way, they can buy healthier food for themselves and their families.

Title III

• The bill introduces a new requirement called the “community engagement requirement” for certain individuals who receive medical assistance.
• To meet this requirement, individuals must do one of the following for at least 80 hours per month: work, engage in community service, participate in a work program, or a combination of these activities.
• The bill also allows states to verify compliance with this requirement by using existing databases or other reliable sources of information before asking individuals for additional verification.
• The bill defines who is considered an “applicable individual” and excludes certain groups, such as those under 19 years old, those who are physically or mentally unfit for work, and those already complying with work requirements under another federal program.
• It gives states the option to disenroll individuals who do not meet the community engagement requirement from receiving medical assistance.

Title IV

I’ll skip this as it’s basically stating the government is responsible for writing this bill and setting time limits.

Division D

Title I

• The bill aims to secure America’s critical minerals and energy resources, assess vulnerabilities, and strengthen domestic production.
• It emphasizes state regulation of hydraulic fracturing and requires congressional approval for a moratorium on the process.
• The bill promotes research, infrastructure construction, and opposes restrictions on exporting oil and petroleum products.
• It criticizes the cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline and supports natural gas exports.
• The bill seeks better coordination, defines critical energy resources, allows waiver of environmental regulations for security needs, and opposes tax increases on oil and gas companies.
• It calls for reports on EPA regulations and studies on banning natural gas appliances.

Title II

• The bill says that the government should start selling leases for oil and gas on land again.
• It requires the government to have four lease sales each year in different states, like Wyoming, New Mexico, and Colorado.
• If a lease sale is canceled or not enough people want to buy the land, they have to try again later in the year.
• The bill also changes some rules about protests and fees for people who want to complain about the lease sales.
• The government has to give regular reports about how they are doing with the lease sales and permits for drilling oil and gas.
• The Secretary of the Interior is required to conduct all offshore oil and gas lease sales described in the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Proposed Final Program by September 30, 2023.

Subtitle II-B

• The bill mandates annual lease sales for oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska regions.
• It also requires annual geothermal lease sales and sets deadlines for geothermal drilling permit consideration.
• The Secretary of the Interior is required to expedite coal lease applications and mining approvals.
• A repeal of the Secretarial Order 3338 related to the Federal coal leasing program is included.
• The bill introduces a lead agency overseeing environmental impact, sets deadlines for impact assessments, and establishes conditions for judicial review.

Subtitle II-C

• The bill is about minerals and mining on federal lands.
• It includes definitions of terms like “byproduct,” “Indian Tribe,” and “mineral.”
• It aims to improve the minerals supply chain and reliability.
• It makes changes to the Federal register process for minerals.
• It addresses the use of mining claims for ancillary activities and ensures consideration of uranium as a critical mineral.

Subtitle II-D

• The bill talks about how the government manages federal lands and waters.
• Before the government can stop people from mining or using minerals on federal lands, they need to do assessments to understand the value and impact of those minerals.
• The assessments should consider things like the economy, energy, and national security.
• The bill also says that plans for federal land use need to be updated and take into account mineral resources.
• If new minerals are found in an area that was previously off-limits, the government should find ways to reduce negative impacts on mining and exploration.

Subtitle II-E

• The bill is about changing the amount of money companies have to pay when they extract oil and gas from certain areas.
• The bill says that companies have to pay at least 12.5% of the value of the oil and gas they extract, instead of the old rate which was higher.
• The bill also changes the minimum amount of money that companies have to pay when they lease land for oil and gas production. The new minimum is $2 per acre.
• The bill gets rid of a fee that companies had to pay when they showed interest in leasing land for oil and gas production.
• The bill allows companies to continue leasing land even if they are not the highest bidder, as long as no one else is interested in leasing the land.

Subtitle II-F

• The bill changes how much money Gulf Coast states receive from offshore drilling.
• It establishes rules for sharing revenue from offshore wind projects with eligible states.
• The bill eliminates an administrative fee for mining leases.
• The changes in the bill will only last until September 30, 2032.
• If the bill isn’t renewed, the previous rules will be reinstated.

Title III

• The bill is called the “Water Quality Certification and Energy Project Improvement Act of 2023.”
• It changes some rules about water pollution control.
• It allows the Administrator to issue permits for certain types of pollution discharges.
• If a permit expires and a new one isn’t issued, the old rules still apply.
• The bill aims to improve water quality and regulate energy projects.

Division E

This bill stops the government from borrowing more money for a while and raises the limit on how much they can borrow. It will last until a certain date and helps the government manage its finances.