Don Bacon

Holocaust Education and Antisemitism Lessons Act

This bill directs the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to study and report on Holocaust education efforts in states, local educational agencies (LEAs), and public elementary and secondary schools. Among other elements, the study must (1) determine whether states and LEAs require Holocaust education as part of the curriculum taught in public elementary and secondary schools, (2) identify the standards and requirements relating to Holocaust education, and (3) identify the types of instructional material used to teach students about the Holocaust.

Surveilling Effluent Water for Epidemic Response Act or the SEWER Act

This bill provides statutory authority for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS) program, which detects and monitors pathogens in wastewater. It requires the CDC to expand and intensify the activities of the NWSS, including with respect to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), influenza, mpox, dengue, West Nile virus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The NWSS provides funding and guidance to public health departments for wastewater surveillance activities. Under the NWSS, health departments and other partners coordinate on wastewater surveillance at sampling sites and share data with the CDC. The NWSS was initially implemented to monitor SARS-CoV-2 and has since expanded to include influenza A, avian influenza A, mpox, and RSV.

Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act or Tim's Act

This bill increases compensation and establishes additional benefits and programs for federal wildland firefighters. (These individuals are employed by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, or tribal governments.)

The bill increases the minimum rate of basic pay for wildland firefighters at General Schedule (GS) levels 1 through 15 by percentages specified in the bill, with smaller increases for higher GS levels. The bill also requires comparable increases to the hourly rates paid to prevailing rate employees who are wildland firefighters. It also establishes premium pay for wildland firefighters who respond to certain prolonged fire incidents and are deployed outside of their normal duty stations or to an area adjacent to the incident. These changes take effect after other temporary pay increases for wildland firefighters expire.

The bill also (1) establishes paid rest and recuperation leave; (2) allows certain prior service to be credited for retirement purposes; and (3) provides housing allowances, tuition assistance, and other benefits for wildland firefighters.

Further, the bill directs the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor to ensure that psychological stress-related injuries and illnesses correlated to fire response are compensated and to expedite related claims.

The bill also establishes programs to (1) assist the next-of-kin of wildland firefighters and fire support personnel who are critically injured or killed while in the line of duty, and (2) support the mental and physical health of wildland firefighters.

Green Tape Elimination Act of 2025

This bill exempts hazardous fuel reduction activities on federal lands from certain environmental and historic preservation regulations. Hazardous fuel means any vegetative material that is susceptible to burning, such as trees and grasses. Hazardous fuel reduction activities include installing firebreaks, using prescribed fire, and removing the hazardous fuels.

First, the bill states that hazardous fuel reduction activities are not to be considered a major federal action under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) for 10 years. NEPA requires agencies to identify and evaluate the impacts of major federal actions significantly affecting the quality of the human environment prior to finalizing certain decisions. Thus, the bill exempts such actions from environmental review under NEPA during that time period.

Next, the bill exempts hazardous fuel reduction activities from the Endangered Species Act of 1973, the National Historic Preservation Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and the Migratory Bird Conservation Act for 10 years.

The bill also directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to exclude certain air quality data when determining whether there are exceedances or violations of the national ambient air quality standard for air pollutants. In the event a hazardous fuel reduction activity has a significant impact on air quality, the EPA must exclude that data when making such determination.

Main Street Tax Certainty Act

This bill makes permanent the qualified business income (QBI) tax deduction.

Under current law, individuals, estates, and trusts may deduct the lower of (1) 20% of QBI from a qualified business, qualified real estate investment trust dividends, and qualified publicly traded partnership income; or (2) 20% of taxable income less net capital gain. (Some limitations apply.)

However, under current law, the QBI tax deduction expires after December 31, 2025.

Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025

This bill revises requirements for milk provided by the National School Lunch Program of the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Currently, schools participating in the program must provide milk that is consistent with the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans; USDA regulations require milk to be fat-free or low-fat and allow milk to be flavored or unflavored. The bill modifies these restrictions and instead permits schools to offer students whole, reduced-fat, low-fat, and fat-free flavored and unflavored milk. The milk that is offered may be organic or nonorganic. Further, USDA may not prohibit a participating school from offering students any of these milk choices.

Further, schools currently must provide a substitute for fluid milk, on receipt of a written statement from a licensed physician, for students whose disability restricts their diet. Under the bill, a parent or legal guardian may also provide the written statement.

In addition, schools currently participating in the program must provide meals that meet certain nutrition requirements; USDA regulations require that the average saturated fat content of the meals offered must be less than 10% of the total calories. Under the bill, fluid milk is excluded from the saturated fat content calculation; milk fat included in any fluid milk provided by the program must not be considered saturated fat for the purposes of measuring compliance with USDA regulations.

Finally, the bill prohibits schools participating in the program from purchasing or offering milk produced by Chinese state-owned enterprises.

Strengthening our Servicemembers with Milk Act

This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to provide varieties of fluid or powdered milk (e.g., unflavored or organic) to members of the Armed Forces at dining facilities on military installations. Under the bill, DOD is prohibited from purchasing such milk from an entity owned or controlled by a foreign adversary.

Repealing Big Brother Overreach Act

This bill repeals the Corporate Transparency Act. The act requires existing companies and newly created companies to report beneficial ownership information to the Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for purposes of addressing the financing of terrorism and money laundering.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the Supreme Court to consist of nine Justices.

This bill removes the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), including each of its distinct population segments, from the threatened and endangered species lists that are published under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Further, the bill prohibits the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service from designating such species as threatened or endangered, and thus, protecting such species under such act.

Sarah's Law

This bill requires the Department of Justice or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to detain a non-U.S. national (alien under federal law) who is unlawfully present in the United States and has been charged with, arrested for, convicted of, or admits to having committed acts that constitute the essential elements of a crime that resulted in the death or serious bodily injury of another person.

DHS must obtain information about the identity of any victims of the crimes for which the detained individual was charged or convicted. DHS shall provide the victim, or a relative or guardian of a deceased victim, with information about the detained individual, including name, date of birth, nationality, immigration status, criminal history, and a description of any related removal efforts.

Increased TSP Access Act of 2025

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to modify the certification process for Technical Service Providers (TSPs) at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) by establishing an approval process for nonfederal certifying entities and a streamlined certification process for TSPs that hold certain specialty certifications.

As background, TSPs are third-party service providers, such as private businesses, Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations, that work on behalf of customers to offer planning, design, and implementation services that meet NRCS criteria.

The bill specifies that USDA must ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, third-party providers with expertise in the technical aspects of conservation practice design, implementation, and evaluation are eligible to become approved TSPs.

USDA must provide a streamlined certification process for TSPs who hold appropriate specialty certifications (e.g., certified crop advisors).

In determining the eligibility of a nonfederal certifying entity, USDA must consider the ability, experience, expertise, and history of the entity. USDA must decide whether to approve an application submitted by a nonfederal certifying entity to certify TSPs within a specified time period.

USDA must also review a TSP's certification by a nonfederal certifying entity within a specified time period. If the certification is satisfactory, USDA must include the TSP on a USDA-maintained registry of certified TSPs.

The bill also specifies that TSPs must be paid at rates equivalent to technical assistance provided by USDA.

Further, USDA must provide accessible public information on TSPs, including information on funding, certification results, and utilization rates.

Qualified Immunity Act of 2025

This bill provides statutory authority for qualified immunity for law enforcement officers in civil cases involving constitutional violations.

Current law provides a statutory civil cause of action against state and local government actors (e.g., law enforcement officers) for violations of constitutional rights, also known as Section 1983 lawsuits. The Supreme Court has also found an implied cause of action against federal law enforcement officers in certain situations (e.g., Fourth Amendment violations), also known as Bivens lawsuits. However, under the judicial doctrine of qualified immunity, government officials performing discretionary duties are generally shielded from civil liability, unless their actions violate clearly established rights of which a reasonable person would have known.

The bill provides statutory authority for these principles with respect to law enforcement officers. Specifically, under the bill, law enforcement officers are entitled to qualified immunity if (1) at the time of the alleged violation, the constitutional right at issue was not clearly established or the state of the law was not sufficiently clear that every reasonable officer would have known that the conduct was unconstitutional; or (2) a court has held that the specific conduct at issue is constitutional.

The bill applies to federal, state, and local law enforcement officers. It also specifies that law enforcement agencies and local governments may not be held liable if their officers are entitled to qualified immunity.

Auto Theft Prevention Act

This bill establishes a grant program to combat auto theft and stolen automobile trafficking.

Specifically, the bill directs the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services within the Department of Justice to award grants for state and local law enforcement agencies to combat auto theft and stolen vehicle trafficking.

The bill also allows funds under the Community Oriented Policing Services grant program to be used to combat auto thefts and stolen automobile trafficking.

Empowering Law Enforcement To Fight Sex Trafficking Demand Act of 2025

This bill allows grants under the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program to be used for programs to combat human trafficking.

Saving the Civil Service Act

This bill generally prohibits changes to the classification of positions in the competitive service and excepted service unless certain conditions are met. (Competitive service positions are subject to competitive examination while excepted service positions are appointed under one of five schedules. Competitive service positions have notice and appeal requirements for adverse actions that are not applicable to most excepted positions, including those of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character under Schedule C.)

On October 21, 2020, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that placed executive agency positions that are of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character, and that are not normally subject to change as a result of a presidential transition, under a new Schedule F in the excepted service. The order was subsequently revoked by President Joe Biden.

The bill prohibits executive agency positions in the competitive service from being placed in the excepted service, unless such positions are placed in a schedule in the excepted service as in effect on September 30, 2020. The bill also prohibits positions in the excepted service from being placed in any schedule other than the aforementioned schedules.

Additionally, agencies may not (1) transfer occupied positions from the competitive or excepted service into Schedule C without the consent of the Office of Personnel Management, or (2) transfer employees in the excepted service to another schedule or transfer employees in the competitive service to the excepted service without employee consent.

Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act

This act provides for the award of Congressional Gold Medals to the members of the 1980 U.S. Olympic men's ice hockey team in recognition of the team's achievement at the 1980 Winter Olympic Games.

Fostering Autonomy in Independent Returns by Prohibiting Redundant and Extralegal Programs Act of 2025 or the FAIR PREP Act of 2025

This bill prohibits the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from preparing federal tax returns or refund claims, with some exceptions. The bill specifically prohibits the preparation of federal income tax returns or refund claims through the IRS’s Direct File program. (The Direct File program currently allows qualified taxpayers in 25 participating states to prepare and electronically file free federal tax returns through a portal on the IRS’s website.)

The bill defines prepare with respect to federal tax returns and refund claims as (1) the completion (in whole or in part) of any form or schedule for the purpose of calculating federal taxes or refunds, and (2) the filing (either electronically or on paper) of such federal tax returns or refund claims.

However, under the bill, federal and state tax returns and refund claims may be prepared through the IRS’s Free File program (a program that allows certain taxpayers to prepare and file free federal and state income tax returns using third-party tax-preparation software) or the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance grant program (through which the IRS partners with local community organizations to help low-income and disabled individuals and persons with limited English proficiency prepare and file free federal and state income tax returns).

Further, the Department of the Treasury may not award grants or enter into contracts or other transactions for the development or operation of an electronic tax preparation service.

PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program Act

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish the PFC Joseph P. Dwyer Peer Support Program to make grants to eligible entities for peer-to-peer mental health programs for veterans.

Eligible entities include (1) a nonprofit organization that has historically served the mental health needs of veterans; (2) a congressionally chartered veteran service organization; or (3) a state, local, or tribal veteran service agency, director, or commissioner.

The VA shall establish an advisory committee to create appropriate program standards.

Rosie the Riveter Commemorative Coin Act

This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in recognition and celebration of the women who contributed to the U.S. home front during World War II. All sales of coins issued under this bill must include a surcharge to be paid to the Rosie the Riveter Trust to support the National Park Service in maintaining and repairing the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park.

Thin Blue Line Act

This bill expands the list of statutory aggravating factors in death penalty determinations to also include killing or targeting a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or other first responder.

This bill requires the Joint Committee on the Library to contract for and place a statue of Benjamin Franklin in the Capitol.

The committee shall place the statue in a permanent public location where it is accessible during a guided tour provided by the Capitol Visitor Center.

The contract must be executed by December 31, 2025, and the statue must be placed by December 31, 2026.

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution establishing term limits for individuals serving in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The proposed amendment makes an individual who has served two terms in the Senate ineligible for appointment or election to the Senate and an individual who has served three terms as a Member of the House of Representatives ineligible for election to the House of Representatives.

The joint resolution provides that the amendment shall be valid when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the states within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification.

Under Article V of the Constitution, both chambers of Congress may propose an amendment by a vote of two-thirds of all Members present for such vote. A proposed amendment must be ratified by the states as prescribed in Article V and as specified by Congress.

Firearm Industry Non-Discrimination Act or the FIND Act

This bill prohibits the federal government from entering into contracts with an entity that discriminates against firearm trade associations or businesses that deal in firearms, ammunition, or related products.

Specifically, the bill requires a federal agency to include in each contract for the procurement of goods or services awarded by the agency a clause requiring the prime contractor to certify that it (1) has no policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association; and (2) will not adopt a policy, practice, guidance, or directive that discriminates against a firearm entity or firearm trade association during the term of the contract.

The bill establishes (1) a similar requirement with respect to subcontracts, and (2) penalties for violations.

The bill makes such prohibition inapplicable to a contract for the procurement of goods or services that is a sole-source contract.