This resolution elects Jackie Barber as Secretary of the Senate.

This resolution supports the designation of February 15-22, 2025, as National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Week.It also celebrates the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America (NFA), which served Black vocational agriculture students in segregated public schools until NFA and FFA became one organization in 1965.The resolution also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the federal charter for the Future Farmers of America.

A bill to amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 to provide for greater spousal protection under defined contribution plans, and for other purposes.

A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide that income received by a regulated investment company from precious metals shall be treated as qualifying income.

Rural Broadband Protection Act of 2025This bill requires the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to establish a process to vet applicants for certain funding programs that support affordable broadband deployment in high-cost areas, including rural communities.Specifically, the FCC must conduct a rulemaking to develop a vetting process for applicants seeking funding under high-cost universal service programs for the deployment of a broadband-capable network and the provision of supported services over the network. The FCC must require applications for such funding to document each applicant’s technical, financial, and operational capabilities related to the proposed deployment, as well as a reasonable business plan. The FCC must evaluate applications against reasonable and well-established standards and must consider each applicant’s history of compliance with the requirements of other government broadband funding programs. After the rulemaking is finalized, funds may only be awarded to applicants that satisfy the standards established therein. Finally, the FCC must set financial penalties for applicants that default in some manner during the evaluation process before they are authorized to begin receiving support.  

A bill to prohibit the enforcement of a rule with respect to emissions, to amend the Clean Air Act to ensure that tailpipe regulations do not limit the availability of new motor vehicles, and for other purposes.

This bill eliminates a requirement that, to the maximum extent practicable, certain construction subcontracts awarded by the Small Business Administration must be awarded within the county or state where the work is to be performed.

A bill to authorize funding for the creation and implementation of infant mortality pilot programs in standard metropolitan statistical areas with high rates of infant mortality, and for other purposes.

School Lunch Debt Cancellation Act of 2025This bill (1) requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to cancel school meal debts, and (2) expands USDA's authority to use Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) funds for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).Specifically, USDA must cancel and eliminate all household school meal debts (as of the date of the bill's enactment) under the school breakfast and lunch programs. USDA must also pay the amount of the cancelled debt to each local educational authority using CCC funds.The bill also reauthorizes the CSFP through FY2030 and allows USDA to use CCC funds for the program. As background, CSFP works to improve the health of low-income persons at least 60 years of age by supplementing their diets with nutritious USDA foods.In addition, the bill specifies that USDA may use CCC funds for all aspects of TEFAP. In recent years, USDA has used CCC funds for specific TEFAP activities. As background, through TEFAP, USDA purchases a variety of food commodities. TEFAP provides those food commodities (and cash support for storage and distribution costs) to state agencies that distribute the food to local emergency feeding organizations (e.g., food banks).

Preventing Risky Operations from Threatening the Education and Career Trajectories of Students Act of 2025 or the PROTECT Students Act of 2025This bill sets forth provisions to address financial predatory practices in higher education, including by establishing additional protections for students and student loan borrowers.Specifically, the bill provides statutory authority for Department of Education (ED) regulations related to gainful employment, borrower defense to repayment, and closed school discharges. For example, ED's 2023 gainful employment regulations specify that ED considers a career education program to be preparing students for gainful employment if it meets specified debt-to-earnings or earnings premium measures.Additionally, the bill prohibits institutions of higher education (IHEs) that participate in federal student aid programs from taking specified actions, such as (1) restricting students' ability to pursue claims against IHEs in court, and (2) withholding official transcripts because of a balance owed by the student.The bill requires IHEs to spend at least 30% of their tuition and fee revenue on instruction.The bill also includes additional oversight measures, such asproviding statutory authority for an enforcement unit within ED's Office of Federal Student Aid to assess complaints against IHEs, third-party servicers, and student loan servicers; establishing the For-Profit Education Oversight Coordination Committee within the executive branch; andrequiring ED to establish and operate a system that tracks complaints or reports of suspicious activity by IHEs, third-party servicers, and student loan servicers.The bill makes funding available to ED for the administrative costs of operating student aid programs.

Protecting Life and Integrity in Research Act of 2025This bill prohibits federal agencies from supporting research involving, and prohibits any entity from soliciting or knowingly acquiring, human fetal tissue obtained pursuant to an induced abortion. Specifically, the bill prohibits any federal agency from conducting, funding, approving, or otherwise supporting research involving such tissue. Federal agencies may conduct or support research involving human fetal tissue obtained after a miscarriage or stillbirth.Additionally, the bill prohibits any entity from soliciting or knowingly acquiring, receiving, or accepting a donation of human fetal tissue where the entity knows it was obtained pursuant to an induced abortion. Entities violating this prohibition are subject to criminal penalties. The bill provides an exception for transfers for purposes of autopsy or burial.

A bill to repeal a rule of the Environmental Protection Agency with respect to multi-pollutant emissions standards, to amend the Clean Air Act to ensure that tailpipe regulations do not limit the availability of new motor vehicles, and for other purposes.

Safe Schools Improvement ActThis bill requires states to direct their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment of elementary and secondary school students. In particular, these policies must prohibit bullying and harassment based on race, color, national origin, disability, religion, or sex. Sex includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics (including intersex traits).Further, LEAs must provide (1) students, parents, and educational professionals with annual notice of the conduct prohibited in their disciplinary policies; (2) students and parents with grievance procedures that target such conduct; and (3) the public with annual data on the incidence and frequency of that conduct at the school and LEA level.The Department of Education must conduct and report on an independent biennial evaluation of programs and policies to combat bullying and harassment in elementary and secondary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics must collect state data to determine the incidence and frequency of the conduct prohibited by LEA disciplinary policies.

Preserving Choice in Vehicle Purchases Act of 2025This bill modifies the waiver process under the Clean Air Act related to state emission control standards for new motor vehicles (or new motor vehicle engines).Under current law, states are preempted from adopting or enforcing emission control standards for new motor vehicles (or new motor vehicle engines) unless the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides a waiver authorizing a state to adopt such standards if certain requirements are met.The bill provides that state standards that directly or indirectly limit the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines are not eligible for waivers. The bill also prohibits the EPA from determining that any state standards amended after the bill's enactment are within the scope of an existing waiver.Additionally, the bill requires the EPA to revoke waivers granted between January 1, 2022, and the date of enactment of this bill if the standards directly or indirectly limit the sale or use of new motor vehicles with internal combustion engines.

Public Health Improvement ActThis bill narrows the authority of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) with respect to the control of communicable diseases and renewals of public health emergencies. It also limits the priorities of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to solely communicable diseases. Specifically, the bill removes HHS' discretion to take measures it deems necessary to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. It also narrows the objectives and priorities of the CDC by removing noncommunicable diseases, injuries, occupational and environmental hazards, and discretionary priorities from its strategic plan.Also, the bill removes the authority of HHS to renew a declaration of a public health emergency and instead requires Congress to issue a renewal. The bill also limits the terms of the directors of the CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to 12 years and requires members of the Advisory Committee to the Director of the CDC to be appointed by members of Congress and other officials (currently appointed by the director). Additionally, the bill transfers eight offices from the CDC to the NIH (e.g., the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).