Celeste Maloy

This resolution condemns Iran’s use of military force to suppress civilian protestors and commends the Iranian people in their fight for a democratic Iran. The resolution calls for Iran to cease all threats, intimidation, and violence against peaceful protesters and urges expansion of unrestricted internet access and lines of communication. Lastly, the resolution urges the United States to coordinate with its allies to consider and implement measures to prevent further violence against protesters.

Religious Workforce Protection Act

This bill allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to extend the nonimmigrant visa status of certain religious workers.

Under current law, if specified conditions are met, nonimmigrant religious workers may receive a visa for a period not to exceed five years. The bill allows DHS to grant an extension until the individual’s application for adjustment of status to permanent resident or an immigrant visa has been processed and a decision has been made. To be eligible for the extension, the individual must be (1) the beneficiary of a certain type of immigrant petition, and (2) eligible for such immigrant status absent the application of certain numerical limitations.

Such individuals who have pending adjustment of status applications are also granted certain job flexibilities, such as the ability to change employers. Individuals who have previously departed the U.S. due to the expiration of their visa are exempt from the one-year foreign residence requirement to renew their visa.

This joint resolution opens approximately 225,504 acres of National Forest System lands in Cook, Lake, and Saint Louis Counties in Minnesota to mineral and geothermal leasing. Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies Public Land Order 7917, which withdrew such land from mineral and geothermal leasing for 20 years beginning in 2023. The Bureau of Land Management issued the order to protect and preserve the Rainy River Watershed, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Mining Protection Area, and the 1854 Ceded Territory of the Lake Superior Chippewa from potential adverse effects of mineral and geothermal exploration and development. The joint resolution removes such protections and allows such land to be leased for the exploration and development of minerals and geothermal energy.

Mitigation Action and Watermen Support Act of 2026 or the MAWS Act of 2026

This bill requires the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to establish a pilot program to facilitate the purchase of blue catfish caught within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. (Blue catfish are considered an invasive species in the Chesapeake Bay.)

Under the program, NOAA must enter into cooperative agreements with manufacturers or processors of pet food, animal feed, or aquaculture feed for the purchase of blue catfish from watermen and seafood processors. NOAA must determine the minimum price per pound after considering market factors; feedback from watermen, seafood processors, and participants in the program; and differentiation of price points for fillet and byproduct.

The bill also requires NOAA to enter into a memorandum of understanding with nonfederal partners to develop abundance estimates of blue catfish in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. NOAA must make the first abundance estimate publicly available before beginning the pilot program.

Veterans Member Business Loan Act

This bill excludes from credit union aggregate loan limitations member business loans made to veterans.

Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025

This bill imposes penalties on certain persons (individuals and entities) if the President determines that the Russian government or a person acting at Russia's direction is involved with (1) refusing to negotiate a peace agreement with Ukraine; (2) violating a negotiated peace agreement; (3) initiating another invasion of Ukraine; or (4) overthrowing, dismantling, or seeking to subvert the Ukrainian government.

If the President makes such a determination, the bill requires certain actions including

• the President must impose visa- and property-blocking sanctions on specified persons such as the Russian president, certain Russian military commanders, and any foreign person that knowingly provides defense items to the Russian armed forces;

• the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported from Russia into the United States to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services;

• the President must increase the rate of duty on all goods and services imported into the United States from countries that knowingly engage in the exchange of Russian-origin uranium and petroleum products to at least 500% relative to the value of such goods and services;

• the Department of the Treasury must impose property-blocking sanctions on any financial institution organized under Russian law and owned wholly or partly by Russia, and any financial institution that engages in transactions with those entities; and

• the Department of Commerce must prohibit the export, reexport, or in-country transfer to or in Russia of any U.S.-produced energy or energy product.

Ensuring Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act

This bill provides for permanent coverage under Medicare of certain pharmacist services.

Specifically, the bill provides for permanent coverage of testing and treatment services provided by pharmacists relating to (1) COVID-19, influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and streptococcal pharyngitis (strep throat); and (2) other public health needs in relation to a declared public health emergency. (Similar authorities were temporarily granted during the COVID-19 public health emergency.) Such services must be provided in accordance with the applicable state laws governing pharmacists' scope of practice.

This concurrent resolution denounces socialism and opposes the implementation of socialist policies in the United States.

Enhancing Geothermal Production on Federal Lands Act

This bill exempts certain projects and activities related to geothermal development on federal land from environmental review requirements.

Specifically, the bill exempts certain geothermal exploration projects with limited impact on federal land from environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Geothermal exploration projects are those that involve the drilling of geothermal exploratory wells, such as temperature gradient wells, monitoring wells, or calibration wells, and that are limited in size, duration, and other aspects in accordance with specified criteria.

The bill also exempts from NEPA the following activities related to the exploration, development, or production of geothermal resources: (1) geotechnical investigations; (2) off-road travel in certain existing rights-of-way; and (3) the construction, maintenance, realignment, and repair of access roads within such rights-of-way.

Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act

This bill allows funds awarded by the State Justice Institute to be used to establish, implement, and operate a judicial threat and intelligence resource center. The State Justice Institute is a private, nonprofit corporation established by federal law to support and improve the administration of justice in state courts.

Making Access To Cleanup Happen Act of 2025 or the MATCH Act of 2025

This bill modifies the Department of Agriculture's (USDA's) Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) program to allow sponsors (i.e., states, local governments, and Indian tribes) to undertake certain emergency watershed protection measures prior to entering into a project agreement with USDA and count the costs as part of the sponsor's share of the project cost once an agreement with USDA is in place.

As background, USDA's EWP Program offers assistance to sponsors to carry out projects that help safeguard people and property from floods, drought, fires, windstorms, and other natural disasters that impair a watershed.

This bill requires USDA to identify a list of emergency watershed protection measures that a sponsor may incur costs for prior to entering into a project agreement with USDA under the EWP Program. USDA must develop a procedure, to be implemented at the state level, through which these entities may request additional emergency watershed protection measures. The cost of undertaking these additional measures may be incurred by a sponsor prior to entering into an agreement with USDA.

Further, USDA must consider pre-agreement costs incurred by a sponsor for undertaking the emergency watershed protection measures as meeting part of a sponsor's contribution towards the project costs.

John W. Walsh Alpha-1 Home Infusion Act of 2025

This bill provides for Medicare coverage of treatment for alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency (a protein deficiency that raises the risk of lung and other diseases). Specifically, the bill provides for coverage of at-home augmentation therapy for beneficiaries with emphysema as a result of severe hereditary AAT deficiency. Treatment must be provided through qualified home infusion therapy suppliers; beneficiaries must be under the care of a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.

North Rim Restoration Act

This bill allows the National Park Service (NPS) to expedite the approval of contracts to restore forests, structures, and assets within areas of the Grand Canyon National Park impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire in Arizona.

Specifically, the bill authorizes the NPS to use emergency acquisition flexibilities without a presidential emergency or disaster declaration to contract for the following services in such impacted areas: managing or restoring forests, rebuilding structures affected by the fire, improving grounds and structures, conducting recovery efforts, or other specified activities.

This authority expires on the date that is the earlier of the following: (1) seven years after the date of this bill's enactment, or (2) the date on which projects and recovery efforts within such area are completed. The NPS may request Congress extend such authority for 12 months if a new wildfire ignites within such area and impacts recovery efforts related to the Dragon Bravo Fire.

The bill also authorizes the NPS to enter into noncompetitive procurement contracts for rebuilding, rehabilitating, replacing, or operating assets, such as lodging or utilities, to support the recovery and reopening of the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim. This authority is conditioned upon the NPS making certain determinations regarding the North Rim concessioner and it terminates seven years after this bill's enactment.