Legislation

The "Restoring Access to Mountain Homes Act" allows FEMA to reimburse state, tribal, and local governments in North Carolina for repairing or replacing private roads and bridges damaged by Tropical Storm Helene, if they are the sole access to homes or essential services. To be eligible for reimbursement, government officials must inspect and verify the need for repairs, ensure the roads/bridges remain open during repairs, and comply with all state and federal regulations. Individuals who have already received disaster assistance for road or bridge repairs can choose to continue with that assistance or return the funds to be eligible for reimbursement under this act. The Administrator will base eligible costs on certified estimates from licensed engineers unless there is evidence of fraud.

The "SAFE Act" amends the Controlled Substances Act to classify fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs, increases penalties for offenses involving fentanyl-related substances, and allows for the review of sentences for past convictions involving substances that have been removed or rescheduled. It streamlines the research registration process for Schedule I substances and requires a report on the impact of these changes. The bill aims to combat the fentanyl crisis by providing law enforcement with tools to prosecute offenders and prevent the distribution of these dangerous substances while ensuring continued research and potential rescheduling based on scientific evaluation.

This resolution affirms the Senate's position that the NIH's operations and funding should not be disrupted, as they are crucial for medical advancements and addressing public health challenges. It emphasizes that the NIH workforce is essential for sustaining medical progress and protecting national health, security, and the economy. Any interference with NIH operations or its workforce undermines biomedical research and the nation's ability to respond to public health issues.

The Global Health, Empowerment and Rights Act seeks to ensure that foreign non-governmental organizations are eligible for assistance under part I of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, regardless of the health or medical services they provide, as long as those services adhere to specific guidelines. It ensures that these organizations are not subject to more restrictive requirements for using non-U.S. government funds for advocacy and lobbying compared to U.S. non-governmental organizations.

The "Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2025" authorizes the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy to award grants to school-community partnerships for implementing effective drug prevention programs. These grants, up to $75,000 per year, will support the implementation of detailed prevention plans developed by the entities in coordination with local schools. The Act allocates $7,000,000 annually from 2026 through 2031 for these grants, with a focus on supplementing existing prevention efforts and rigorous evaluation.

The "Life at Conception Act" declares that the right to life, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is vested in each human being, both born and preborn, from fertilization onward. This act defines "human being" as every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life. Notably, the act specifies that no woman shall be prosecuted for the death of her unborn child.

This resolution supports the designation of February 23, 2025, to March 1, 2025, as "National Fentanyl Awareness Week" to highlight the dangers and negative impacts of fentanyl in the United States. It acknowledges the alarming number of overdose deaths caused by fentanyl and seeks to raise awareness about the drug's presence in other substances. The resolution commends law enforcement and treatment organizations for their efforts and encourages safe medication practices and seeking help for substance use disorder.

This resolution honors the life and legacy of Howard L. Hawks, a Nebraska community leader and philanthropist. It recognizes his significant contributions to the state through his business leadership at Tenaska Energy and his service as a Regent at the University of Nebraska and Board Member of Creighton University. The resolution also acknowledges his extensive philanthropic support for various initiatives in education, healthcare, and community development. Finally, it expresses condolences to his family.

The "Saving American Workers Benefits Act of 2025" amends the Internal Revenue Code to require both taxpayers and their qualifying children to have a valid Social Security number for employment purposes in order to claim the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Credit. This ensures that these tax benefits are only received by individuals authorized to work in the United States. This change will be effective for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Youth Poisoning Protection Act" bans the sale of consumer products containing 10% or more sodium nitrite by weight, classifying them as hazardous under the Consumer Product Safety Act. Exceptions are made for commercial, industrial, and certain food-related uses. This ban aims to protect individuals from the dangers of highly concentrated sodium nitrite.

The "Next of Kin Collections Protection Act of 2025" modifies how the Department of Veterans Affairs handles benefit payments after a beneficiary's death. It ensures that benefit reductions or discontinuances due to death are effective at the end of the month in which the death occurs. This act clarifies payment procedures for the month of the beneficiary's death, applying to deaths occurring on or after the Act's enactment.

The "Stop Sports Blackouts Act" directs the FCC to create regulations requiring cable and satellite providers to issue rebates to subscribers when video programming is blacked out due to retransmission consent or carriage negotiation disputes. These regulations must be established within 90 days of the bill's enactment and must define the appropriate amount for such rebates. This applies when the provider originally agreed to provide the programming at the time of subscription.

The "Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025" introduces a federal tax credit for individuals and corporations who donate to scholarship granting organizations that provide educational scholarships to eligible elementary and secondary students. These scholarships can be used for tuition, books, tutoring, and other qualified education expenses. The bill sets a volume cap on the total amount of donations eligible for the tax credit and includes provisions to prevent government control over scholarship organizations and non-public schools. It also exempts these scholarship amounts from gross income.

This resolution designates the week of February 24-28, 2025, as "Public Schools Week," to recognize the importance of public education. It expresses Congress's support for strengthening public schools through various measures, including empowering educators, supporting student well-being, and promoting equal opportunities. The resolution emphasizes the vital roles of educators, parents, and community stakeholders in ensuring every child has access to a high-quality education. It also acknowledges the importance of federal funding in supporting public schools.

The "Brownfields Redevelopment Tax Incentive Reauthorization Act of 2025" extends the tax deduction for environmental remediation costs, incentivizing the cleanup and redevelopment of brownfield sites. It allows taxpayers to deduct these expenses, promoting investment in revitalizing potentially contaminated properties. This extension is applicable for expenditures paid after December 31, 2024, and before January 1, 2029.

This bill disapproves and nullifies the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's rule concerning the protection of Marine Archaeological Resources. The bill aims to overturn the rule as published in the Federal Register.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.

This resolution appoints specific members to standing committees in the House of Representatives. Ms. Pingree and Mr. Carbajal are assigned to the Committee on Agriculture. Mr. Schneider and Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania are assigned to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

This bill resolves water rights claims for the Fort Belknap Indian Community in Montana by ratifying a water rights agreement, authorizing funding and land transfers to implement the agreement, and rehabilitating and expanding the Fort Belknap Indian Irrigation Project. Additionally, the bill authorizes \$250 million for water and wastewater facilities for the Blackfeet Tribe in Montana.

The "Connected MOM Act" directs the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate and report on the use of remote monitoring devices in state Medicaid programs for pregnant and postpartum women. The report will identify barriers to coverage and the impact on maternal health outcomes. Following the report, the Department of Health and Human Services will update resources for state Medicaid programs to align with the report's recommendations.