Rules Committee

The Back-to-School Supplies Affordability Act would prevent new tariffs from being applied to specific school supplies and educational materials, effectively freezing their import duties at levels recorded on January 19, 2025. This measure directly affects students, families, teachers, schools, and local governments by aiming to keep the cost of items like notebooks, backpacks, pencils, and keyboards stable. The bill designates certain products for duty exemption based on specific trade classifications or through regulations issued by the Secretary of Commerce in coordination with the Secretary of Education. Additionally, it requires the Secretary of Commerce to report every 180 days to congressional committees on which items are exempt, while allowing Congress to disapprove specific item designations through a joint resolution.

This resolution allows the House of Representatives to immediately consider and pass H.R. 185, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act II, which strengthens rules for releasing government documents related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The bill empowers state attorneys general and victims to sue the U.S. Attorney General in federal court if they believe records are being unlawfully withheld, redacted, or delayed, while also requiring courts to expedite these legal cases. It mandates that victims receive unredacted copies of records pertaining to them and grants state law enforcement full access to previously sealed or classified materials for their investigations. Additionally, the law imposes criminal penalties on federal officials who conceal or falsify records and requires Members of Congress to receive unredacted documents within seven days of requesting them.

The ARTICLE ONE Act amends the National Emergencies Act to require the President to obtain congressional approval through a joint resolution within 30 days of declaring a national emergency, or the declaration automatically expires. If Congress does not approve the emergency or specific powers invoked by the President, the President is barred from declaring a subsequent emergency for the same circumstances or exercising those specific authorities for the remainder of their term. The bill also mandates that the President submit detailed reports to congressional leadership and relevant committees every six months regarding the status of the emergency, expenditures, and actions taken. These new oversight requirements apply to most national emergencies but exclude those invoking only the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which are subject to separate provisions under a new Title VI.

This bill, titled the Restoring Accountability in Appropriations Act, modifies the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to allow private citizens and specific congressional leaders to sue the federal government if budget funds are improperly withheld. It grants individuals who are negatively affected by these withholdings the right to file civil lawsuits in federal court to force the release of the money. Additionally, the legislation empowers designated House leaders to request reports from the Comptroller General and, if those reports confirm violations, to introduce resolutions that mandate the House initiate or join these lawsuits. The bill also establishes a special, expedited process within the House of Representatives to quickly pass these litigation resolutions without standard debate or committee delays.

The Homebuilding Materials Tariff Relief Act would exempt specific critical homebuilding products from tariffs imposed on or after January 20, 2025, to reduce costs for the construction and furnishing of single-family and multi-family residential buildings. The bill defines covered products by a detailed list of Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes, which includes items such as wood, glass, ceramics, and certain plastics used in housing. It restricts the President from reimposing these tariffs unless the National Association of Realtors Housing Affordability Index averages 160 or above for the preceding 12 months and Congress passes a joint resolution approving the action. This legislation directly affects homebuilders, suppliers, and consumers by potentially lowering the price of new homes through reduced material costs.