Ed Case

Chip Security Act

This bill requires covered integrated circuit products (e.g., advanced computing chips) to incorporate certain security mechanisms.

Specifically, the bill directs the Department of Commerce to require any covered integrated circuit product to have chip security mechanisms that implement location verification before the product is exported, reexported, or in-country transferred to or in a foreign country.

Commerce must require any person that has received a license or other authorization under the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 to export, reexport, or in-country transfer a covered product to promptly report to Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security if the person obtains credible information that the product has been diverted away from its intended location or has been subjected to tampering.

Additionally, Commerce must conduct an assessment and report to Congress on whether additional chip security mechanisms should be adopted. If Commerce determines additional security measures are necessary, then Commerce must require any covered product to include the secondary chip security mechanisms before the product is exported, reexported, or in-country transferred to or in a foreign country.

The bill authorizes Commerce to take certain enforcement actions, such as verifying the ownership and location of a covered product that has been exported, reexported, or in-country transferred to or in a foreign country.

Commerce must, within two years of the bill's enactment and annually thereafter for three years, assess new chip security mechanisms and report to Congress.

Head start Education And Development Workforce Advancement and Yield Act or the HEADWAY Act

This bill allows some teachers in Early Head Start programs to teach while in the process of earning their Child Development Associate (CDA) credential and completing training.

Currently, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) must ensure that all teachers providing direct services to children and families in Early Head Start centers (1) have a minimum of a CDA credential and have been trained in early childhood development, and (2) have been trained in early childhood development with a focus on infant and toddler development.

The bill revises this requirement by requiring at least one teacher per classroom (instead of all teachers) to have a CDA credential and training. In particular, the bill requires HHS to ensure that (1) each additional teacher providing direct services to children and families is in the process of earning a CDA credential and completing training, and (2) the Early Head Start agency provides a mentor to oversee the progress and guide the work of a teacher who is in the process of earning a CDA credential and completing training.

This resolution supports the designation of National Coffee Day.

Among other things, the resolution also supports efforts to strengthen domestic and global coffee supply chains and encourages continued scientific research into the health effects of drinking coffee.

Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act

This bill directs the Department of the Treasury to mint and issue coins in recognition of the life of Roberto Clemente, baseball player and human rights activist. All sales of coins issued under this bill must include a surcharge to be paid to the Roberto Clemente Foundation.

Tropical Plant Health Initiative Act

This bill establishes a Tropical Plant Health Initiative as a Department of Agriculture (USDA) high-priority research and extension area and reauthorizes other USDA research and extension initiatives. Under the bill, tropical plants include coffee plants, macadamia trees, cacao trees, plantains and bananas, mangos, floriculture and nursery crops, and vanilla plants.

Specifically, the bill allows research and extension grants for

• developing and disseminating science-based tools and treatments to combat plant pests and noxious weeds that impact tropical plants;

• establishing an integrated pest management program in areas where tropical plants are affected by plant pests or noxious weeds; and

• conducting related data collection, research, and investigations regarding the production, health, immune systems, biology, ecology, and genomics of the tropical plants.

Further, the bill reauthorizes USDA grants to support competitive specialized research and extension activities, including high-priority areas, through FY2030.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress and the states to set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections.

The amendment grants Congress and the states the power to implement and enforce this amendment by legislation. They are allowed to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of National Firearm Suicide Prevention Day.

Preventing Our Next Natural Disaster Act

This bill modifies the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Specifically, the bill

• increases the amount that may be set aside from FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund for BRIC from 6% to 15% of certain disaster grant amounts;

• authorizes FEMA to set aside 2% from the BRIC 15% set-aside for assistance with community planning and capacity building;

• provides a 90% federal cost share for BRIC grants to environmental justice communities, and increases the maximum number of people in small impoverished communities, which are also eligible for the 90% BRIC federal cost share; and

• authorizes FEMA to develop guidance regarding how to incorporate climate change into the National Risk Index, benefit-cost analyses, and improved codes, specifications, and standards to address natural hazards.

FEMA must

• prioritize BRIC assistance for high hazard risk communities, environmental justice communities, communities with low tax revenue base per capita, and communities with a low rate of code adoption and enforcement and infrastructure maintenance expenditures;

• provide community outreach on project planning and grant administration; and

• establish a central federal database to consolidate funding data collected by all local, state, and federal agencies involved in post-disaster response and pre-disaster mitigation spending and categorize the data by type of project, funding source, and hazard types using a user-friendly database and interactive map.