Gabe Evans

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.

Preventing Aliens Through Rivers or Land Act or the PATROL Act

This bill prohibits the Department of Justice (DOJ) from bringing certain civil actions against a state for building a physical structure impacting navigable waters along the U.S. border for security purposes. Specifically, the DOJ is prohibited from bringing an action for (1) the construction of a bridge, causeway, dam, dike, or other structure over or in a port, harbor, or other navigable water of the United States without federal approval; or (2) the creation of any obstruction to the navigable capacity of waters of the United States without federal approval.

This joint resolution eliminates an annual waste emissions charge on oil or gas facilities under the Methane Emissions Reduction Program. Under the program, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) currently collects a waste emissions charge from specific types of oil or gas facilities, such as onshore or offshore facilities that produce oil or gas, for exceeding emission thresholds for greenhouse gas emissions and methane emissions.

Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies the rule titled Waste Emissions Charge for Petroleum and Natural Gas Systems: Procedures for Facilitating Compliance, Including Netting and Exemptions and published by the EPA on November 18, 2024.

Research Security and Accountability in DHS Act

This bill requires the Science and Technology Directorate in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a department-wide policy for safeguarding research and development from unauthorized access or disclosures of sensitive information in related acquisitions.

Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must report on the compliance of DHS with a 2021 presidential memorandum and related guidance that required certain disclosures about government-funded research and development (e.g., conflicts of interest involving foreign governments).

DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act

This bill restricts funding to an institution of higher education (IHE) that has a relationship with a Confucius Institute, Thousand Talents Program, or Chinese entity of concern. The bill defines (1) Confucius Institute as a cultural institute funded by the Chinese government; (2) Thousand Talents Program as any technological or educational program funded or administered by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology; and (3) Chinese entity of concern as generally any university or college in China that is involved in China's military, police, or intelligence activities.

Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must ensure that an IHE that has awarded a contract to, entered into an agreement with, or received an in-kind donation or gift from a Confucius Institute, Thousand Talents Program, or Chinese entity of concern is ineligible to receive any funds from DHS, unless the IHE terminates the relationship. The IHE may regain eligibility for these funds upon termination of the relationship.

Pet and Livestock Protection Act of 2025

This bill directs the Department of the Interior to remove protections for the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA). Specifically, the bill requires Interior to reissue the final rule titled Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Removing the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) From the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and published on November 3, 2020.

The rule removed the gray wolf in the lower 48 United States, except for the Mexican wolf (C. l. baileyi) subspecies, from the endangered and threatened species list. However, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California vacated the rule on February 10, 2022. As a result, the gray wolf reattained the protection status it had prior to the rule's promulgation.

The bill also prohibits the reissuance of the rule from being subject to judicial review.

Strategic Homeland Intelligence and Enforcement Legislation to Defend Against the CCP Act or the SHIELD Against CCP Act

This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to form a working group tasked with duties related to countering terrorist, cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation security threats posed to the United States by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The working group must assess and annually report on current DHS efforts to counter the CCP’s (1) use of the U.S. immigration system, (2) economic and trade practices, and (3) support for illicit financial activity and trafficking controlled substances. The working group must terminate seven years after its establishment.

DHS must additionally carry out research and development on technologies and techniques for enhancing its security and situational awareness to these threats.

The Government Accountability Office must report on the implementation of this bill.

Promoting Domestic Energy Production Act

This bill allows corporations to reduce their adjusted financial statement income to account for certain intangible costs related to oil, gas, or geothermal well drilling and development for purposes of calculating the corporate alternative minimum tax.

Under current law, a 15% corporate alternative minimum tax is imposed on a corporation with adjusted financial statement income exceeding an average of $1 billion for a consecutive three-year period (or an average of $100 million for a U.S. corporation that is part of a foreign parent multinational group if the adjusted financial statement income of such group exceeds an average of $1 billion for a consecutive three-year period). Adjusted financial statement income generally is the net income or loss reported on the corporation’s applicable financial statement for a tax year, with adjustments for specific items.

This bill expands the reductions that may be made to a corporation’s adjusted financial statement income to include (1) intangible drilling and development costs incurred by an operator of a domestic oil, gas, or geothermal well that are allowed as a deduction in the current tax year when computing regular taxable income; and (2) any depletion expenses related to the intangible oil, gas, or geothermal well drilling and development costs.

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.

Security First Act

This bill reauthorizes the Operation Stonegarden program from FY2025 through FY2028 and addresses other border security issues. (Operation Stonegarden provides grants to enhance the border security capabilities of state, local, and tribal governments.)

From FY2025 through FY2028, the money from unreported monetary instruments seized from individuals crossing the U.S.-Mexico border and transferred into the Department of the Treasury general fund shall be made available without further appropriation to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to fund Operation Stonegarden.

DHS must report to Congress on (1) DHS hiring practices from 2018 to 2024, and (2) whether certain criminal gangs and Mexican drug cartels meet the criteria to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. DHS must also periodically report to Congress about the technology needed to secure the U.S.-Mexico land border.

Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act

This bill establishes a federal statutory framework to regulate the carry or possession of concealed firearms across state lines.

Specifically, an individual who is eligible to carry a concealed firearm in one state may carry or possess a concealed handgun (other than a machine gun or destructive device) in another state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms.

It sets forth requirements for lawful concealed carry across state lines. The bill preempts most state and local laws related to concealed carry and establishes a private right of action for a person adversely affected by interference with a concealed-carry right established by this bill.

Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act

This bill establishes certain criminal grounds for making non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) inadmissible and expands the crimes for which a non-U.S. national is deportable.

First, the bill establishes that a non-U.S. national is inadmissible if the individual has admitted to or is convicted of acts constituting the essential elements of stalking, child abuse, child neglect, child abandonment, a sex offense, conspiracy to commit a sex offense, a violation of certain protection orders, or domestic violence (including physical or sexual abuse or a pattern of coercive behavior when it occurs within certain close relationships).

Next, the bill establishes additional grounds for deportation. Under current law, a non-U.S. national is deportable for certain criminal convictions, including domestic violence, stalking, and child abuse. The bill makes any sex offense (including crimes against minors) or conspiracy to commit a sex offense a basis for deportation. The bill also expands the domestic violence crimes that make a non-U.S. national deportable to include physical or sexual abuse or a pattern of coercive behavior when it occurs within certain close relationships.

Return Excessive Migrants and Asylees to International Neighbors in Mexico Act of 2025 or the REMAIN in Mexico Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to implement the Migrant Protection Protocols as outlined in the January 25, 2019, memo titled Policy Guidance for Implementation of the Migrant Protection Protocols.

(The protocols generally required aliens who are not clearly admissible, including those seeking asylum, arriving by land along the U.S.-Mexico border to be returned to Mexico while their immigration proceedings are pending, rather than remain in the United States. On January 21, 2021, DHS stopped applying the protocols to newly-arrived individuals.)

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.

Halt All Lethal Trafficking of Fentanyl Act or the HALT Fentanyl Act

This bill permanently places fentanyl-related substances as a class into schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. A schedule I controlled substance is a drug, substance, or chemical that has a high potential for abuse; has no currently accepted medical value; and is subject to regulatory controls and administrative, civil, and criminal penalties under the Controlled Substances Act.

Under the bill, offenses involving fentanyl-related substances are triggered by the same quantity thresholds and subject to the same penalties as offenses involving fentanyl analogues (e.g., offenses involving 100 grams or more trigger a 10-year mandatory minimum prison term).

Additionally, the bill establishes a new, alternative registration process for certain schedule I research.

The bill also makes several other changes to registration requirements for conducting research with controlled substances, including

• permitting a single registration for related research sites in certain circumstances,

• waiving the requirement for a new inspection in certain situations, and

• allowing a registered researcher to perform certain manufacturing activities with small quantities of a substance without obtaining a manufacturing registration.

Finally, the bill expresses the sense that Congress agrees with the interpretation of Controlled Substances Act in United States v. McCray, a 2018 case decided by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. In that case, the court held that butyryl fentanyl, a controlled substance, can be considered an analogue of fentanyl even though, under the Controlled Substances Act, the term controlled substance analogue specifically excludes a controlled substance.