This bill authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor the "Hello Girls" - 223 women who served as Army Signal Corps telephone operators in WWI. They connected 26 million calls in France, worked 12-hour shifts under combat conditions, and were denied veteran benefits for 60 years despite wearing uniforms and facing combat hazards. The medal recognizes their pioneering military service, devotion to duty, and the decades-long struggle for recognition as soldiers. It directs the Treasury to strike the medal and place it in the Smithsonian for public display at institutions like the National WWI Museum.
HJRES 136 is a resolution seeking to block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have set new emissions standards for light and medium-duty vehicles sold in 2027 and later model years. The EPA rule, published in April 2024, aimed to require vehicle manufacturers to meet stricter pollution limits for these vehicles. If passed, this resolution would cancel the rule, preventing the EPA from enforcing the new standards. It uses a congressional process that allows Congress to reject agency rules with a simple majority vote.
SRES 838 is a symbolic Senate resolution designating November 17, 2024, as "National Warrior Call Day." It aims to raise awareness about veteran and military member mental health by emphasizing the importance of peer-to-peer connections during transition from service. The resolution cites statistics showing high veteran suicide rates (33.9 per 100,000 in 2021) and encourages all Americans to reach out to veterans or active-duty personnel for support. It does not create new laws or funding but urges public engagement through "making a warrior call" to prevent isolation. This resolution directly affects public awareness and voluntary actions, not specific individuals or programs.
SRES 844 is a non-binding Senate resolution recognizing September 15-21, 2024, as National Forensic Science Week. It formally supports forensic science service providers (like crime labs) and encourages them, local policymakers, media, and the public to engage through community events, lab tours, and discussions about forensic science needs. The resolution urges local officials to formally declare the week and visit labs, while inviting the public to learn about forensic work and its role in criminal justice. It does not create new laws or allocate funding, but aims to raise awareness of forensic science’s contributions to solving crimes and exonerating the innocent.
SRES 813 is a ceremonial Senate resolution honoring the late Steven D. Symms, former U.S. Senator from Idaho (1980-1992). It formally expresses the Senate’s sorrow at his death, directs the Secretary of the Senate to notify the House of Representatives and deliver a copy to his family, and calls for the Senate to adjourn in his memory. The resolution acknowledges his service in the Marine Corps, his 20-year congressional career (House 1972-1980, Senate 1980-1992), and his work on tax policy, infrastructure, and military base improvements. As a commemorative resolution, it has no legal effect or policy changes - only symbolic recognition.
# Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2025 - Summary
This document is a comprehensive appropriations bill for the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies for fiscal year 2025. It contains numerous specific funding allocations, restrictions, and prohibitions on how federal funds may be used.
## Key Restrictions and Prohibitions
The bill contains extensive prohibitions on using funds for specific environmental regulations, policies, and executive orders:
- **Climate Change Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for implementing numerous climate-related regulations and executive orders, including:
- The Clean Power Plan (Section 472)
- Executive Orders related to climate change (Sections 449)
- The "Good Neighbor" rule for ozone standards (Section 470)
- The "NEPA Phase 1" and "NEPA Phase 2" regulations (Sections 479-480)
- The "National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants" rule (Section 491)
- **Regulatory Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for numerous EPA regulations, including:
- Clean Water Act Section 401 rule (Section 476)
- Greenhouse gas reporting rule (Section 483)
- Methane fee regulations (Section 490)
- Disposal of coal combustion residuals (Section 485)
- Risk Management Programs (Section 482)
- The "Steam Rule" (Section 468)
- Ethylene oxide regulations (Section 473)
- **Policy Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for:
- Using "social cost of carbon" in regulatory analysis (Section 454)
- Developing guidance on valuation of ecosystem services (Section 450)
- Implementing the "Interagency Working Group on Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases" (Section 477)
- Promoting or advancing "Critical Race Theory" (Section 445)
- The Climate Justice Alliance (Section 460)
- The "American Climate Corps" (Section 448)
- **Specific Program Restrictions**: Prohibits funding for:
- Certain EPA guidance on "Waters of the United States" (Section 466)
- Implementing pesticide labeling changes (Section 467)
- The "Small Off-Road Engine Waiver" (Section 469)
- The "Meat and Poultry Products" rule (Section 484)
## Key Funding Provisions
- **Wildfire Management**: Includes significant funding for wildland firefighting with specific provisions:
- Special pay rates for wildland firefighters (Section 456)
- Incident response premium pay (Section 457)
- **Land Management**: Funds for:
- National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund (Section 429)
- Land and Water Conservation Fund (Section 429)
- Forest Ecosystem Health and Recovery Fund (Section 428)
- **Water Management**: Specific provisions for water rights (Section 458), but restrictions on certain regulations.
## Other Notable Provisions
- **Firefighter Pay**: Specific provisions for special base rates and incident response premium pay for wildland firefighters (Sections 456-457)
- **State Permit Programs**: Approval of Florida's permit program for dredged or fill material (Section 492)
- **Land Conveyance**: Provisions for conveyance of National Forest System land in Riverside County, California (Section 459)
- **Prohibition on Certain Regulations**: Includes prohibitions on implementing specific regulations like the "FAST-41" rule (Section 463)
This bill represents a highly restrictive approach to federal environmental regulation, with numerous specific prohibitions on using funds for climate change policies, environmental regulations, and certain types of policy development. It emphasizes limiting the regulatory authority of the Environmental Protection Agency while providing specific funding for land management and wildfire response programs.
HR 8282, the "Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act," imposes U.S. sanctions on foreign individuals or entities supporting the International Criminal Court (ICC) in investigating or prosecuting "protected persons." Protected persons include U.S. military personnel, officials, and allied personnel (from non-ICC member countries) who are not under ICC jurisdiction. The bill requires the President to block assets and deny visas to targeted foreign persons and their immediate family members within 60 days of the ICC attempting such actions. It mandates congressional notification of sanctions and allows termination if the ICC ceases all such efforts against protected persons. The law focuses on restricting U.S. economic and travel access to ICC supporters targeting specific U.S. and allied personnel.
SRES 800 is a symbolic Senate resolution introduced on August 1, 2024, by a bipartisan group of senators. It condemns the July 13, 2024, attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump at a Butler, Pennsylvania, rally and honors three individuals affected: Corey D. Comperatore (who died shielding his family), David Dutch (critically injured), and James Copenhaver (critically injured). The resolution calls for national unity and civility following the violent incident. As a non-binding resolution, it does not create new laws or policies but expresses the Senate's stance on the event.
The SAVE Act (HR 8281) requires U.S. citizens to provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. It defines acceptable proof as documents like passports, REAL ID-compliant IDs, military IDs, or birth certificates, and mandates that states verify citizenship using information from government agencies like DHS and Social Security. States must establish processes for voters without required documentation to provide an attestation under penalty of perjury. The law also requires states to remove noncitizens from voter rolls when verified evidence shows they're not citizens. This bill directly affects all applicants registering to vote in federal elections and state election officials who must implement these requirements.
SRES 765 is a Senate resolution honoring the late Senator James M. Inhofe of Oklahoma following his death on July 9, 2024. The resolution commemorates his 28-year Senate service (1994-2023) and 52 years in public office, highlighting his work on defense policy, aviation legislation, infrastructure projects, and support for military bases in Oklahoma. This procedural resolution expresses the Senate's condolences and formally recognizes his legacy, rather than enacting any policy changes.
SRES 762 designates July 27, 2024, as "National Day of the American Cowboy" to honor the cultural significance of cowboys and cowgirls in American history, including their contributions to the economy (through ranching), traditions, and values like integrity and environmental stewardship. The resolution encourages public observance through ceremonies and activities but does not create new laws or affect specific groups financially or legally. It is a symbolic gesture recognizing the cowboy as an American icon, as outlined in the Senate's preamble.
HR 537 authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal to honor 60 diplomats who saved Jewish lives during the Holocaust by issuing visas and passports against their governments' orders, risking expulsion and personal danger. The medal will be presented to the next of kin of these diplomats, alongside representatives from their home countries, and permanently displayed at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The bill also permits the sale of bronze duplicates to cover production costs, with proceeds going to the U.S. Mint. This legislation recognizes the diplomats' humanitarian actions without creating new government programs or altering existing laws.
