Legislative Activity

The SOAR Permanent Authorization Act amends the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act, modifying accreditation requirements for participating schools and increasing funding for student support services. It refines standardized testing requirements and evaluation standards, focusing on academic progress and educational attainment. The act also increases the authorized appropriation to $75,000,000 per fiscal year, making the authorization permanent.

This bill allocates $10,740,218 from the House of Representatives' funds for the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party during the 119th Congress. It sets spending limits for specific periods and mandates that all payments be made through vouchers approved by the House Administration Committee. Funds provided by this resolution must be spent following the rules set by the House Administration Committee.

The A PLUS Act allows states to consolidate federal education funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (excluding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) to improve educational policies. States must submit a declaration of intent outlining how funds will be used, ensuring accountability, and complying with civil rights laws. This act aims to provide states with greater flexibility, reduce administrative burdens, and ensure transparency in educational spending and student progress. States are limited to spending no more than 1-3% of the funds on administrative costs.

This bill expresses support for designating January 26 - February 1, 2025, as "National School Choice Week" to recognize the importance of diverse K-12 education options and the role of parents in choosing the best learning environment for their children. It encourages raising awareness about the benefits of educational choice and congratulates those involved in education.

The "Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act of 2025" aims to reform the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) by ensuring its governance is independent, transparent, and free from conflicts of interest. It mandates the Office of National Drug Control Policy to assess WADA's compliance with these standards, promote fair U.S. representation within the agency, and include independent athletes in decision-making roles. The act allows for withholding U.S. dues to WADA if these standards are not met and requires detailed spending plans for any funds allocated to the agency.

The "Restoring Trade Fairness Act" suspends normal trade relations with China, leading to increased tariffs on Chinese goods, with the goal of countering unfair trade practices and bolstering domestic industries. It modifies duty rates, phases in increases, and allows the President to further adjust duties and establish quotas to reduce reliance on Chinese imports. The Act also establishes a trust fund to compensate U.S. producers for losses due to Chinese retaliation and allocates remaining funds to defense spending. Additionally, it directs changes to the U.S. list of agreed-upon duty rates on goods at the World Trade Organization and prohibits duty-free entry for articles originating from covered nations, even if valued at $800 or less.

The NO GOTION Act aims to block green energy tax benefits for companies with connections to countries of concern, such as China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. It denies specific tax credits and benefits to companies created, organized, or controlled by these countries, or by entities connected to them. This applies to various sections of the Internal Revenue Code related to green energy incentives. The changes will be effective for taxable years starting after the Act's enactment.

The Native American Health Savings Improvement Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals eligible for Indian Health Service (IHS) assistance to maintain health savings accounts (HSAs). Receiving care from the IHS or a tribal organization will not disqualify individuals from having an HSA, ensuring they can save for healthcare expenses. This change applies to taxable years after December 31, 2024.