James Risch

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.

This resolution supports designating April 2025 as Parkinson's Awareness Month.

This resolution designates April 2025 as Financial Literacy Month.

This resolution designates April 29, 2025, as National Fentanyl Awareness Day to bring attention to the impact of fake or counterfeit fentanyl pills.

Homebuyers Privacy Protection Act

This bill limits the circumstances in which credit reporting agencies may provide consumer credit reports to third parties in connection with residential mortgage transactions.

Specifically, the bill prohibits a credit reporting agency from providing a consumer's credit report to a third party in connection with a residential mortgage transaction unless the transaction consists of a firm offer of credit or insurance and (1) the third party provides documentation certifying that it has the consumer's consent; or (2) the third party has originated a mortgage on behalf of the consumer, is a current mortgage loan servicer to the consumer, or has a current specified banking relationship with the consumer.

These provisions take effect 180 days after the bill's enactment.

Combating Organized Retail Crime Act

This bill expands federal enforcement of criminal offenses related to organized retail and supply chain crime. The term organized retail and supply chain crime includes criminal offenses involving the interstate transportation of stolen property, the sale or receipt of stolen goods, or theft from an interstate or foreign shipment that is committed by, in coordination with, or at the instruction of an organization.

First, with respect to criminal offenses involving the interstate transportation of stolen property or the sale or receipt of stolen goods, the bill broadens the scope of conduct that qualifies as offenses by allowing prosecutions to be based on the aggregate value of stolen items over a 12-month period. Additionally, the bill makes the offenses predicate offenses (i.e., underlying offenses) for prosecutions under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any property obtained from the proceeds of an offense.

Second, with respect to criminal offenses involving theft from an interstate or foreign shipment, the bill also makes an offense an underlying offense for prosecution under the federal money laundering statute and authorizes the criminal forfeiture of any associated property.

Third, the bill expands the federal money laundering statute to include offenses involving general-use prepaid cards, gift certificates, or store gift cards.

Finally, the bill temporarily establishes a center within the Department of Homeland Security to coordinate federal law enforcement activities related to organized retail and supply chain crime.

Abortion Funding Awareness Act of 2025

This bill establishes reporting requirements for states regarding certain Medicaid payments to abortion providers.

Specifically, the bill requires states that make Medicaid payments using federal funds for any items or services furnished by an abortion provider to annually (1) submit a report to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on all such payments, and (2) publish the report on the state's website. The report must include specified information, including the number of abortions performed by the providers and the gestational age with respect to each such abortion. (Current law restricts the use of federal funds for abortions to cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment of the woman. States may use their own funds to cover abortions in other cases.)

Homes for Every Local Protector, Educator, and Responder Act of 2025 or the HELPER Act of 2025

This bill establishes a program administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide mortgage assistance to law enforcement officers, elementary and secondary school teachers, firefighters, or other first responders. Specifically, these individuals may be eligible for a first-time mortgage on a primary family residence with no down payment. Instead, the mortgage is subject to a one-time, up-front mortgage insurance premium.

This joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency notice titled California State Motor Vehicle and Engine Pollution Control Standards; Advanced Clean Cars II; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision (90 Fed. Reg. 642) and published on January 6, 2025. Among other elements, the notice grants the California Air Resources Board request for a waiver for its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations. (Under the Clean Air Act, California may seek waivers of the preemption prohibiting states from enacting certain emission standards.)

Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025

This bill excludes Indian tribes and tribal enterprises and institutions on tribal land from requirements for employers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). (Currently under the NLRA, employers may not engage in unfair labor practices and must allow employees to form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action.)

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.

Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions Act or the DETERRENT Act

This bill expands oversight and disclosure requirements related to foreign sources and institutions of higher education (IHEs).

Specifically, the bill requires an IHE to annually disclose to the Department of Education (ED) any year in which the IHE

• receives a gift from a foreign country of concern (e.g., China or Russia) or foreign entity of concern of any dollar amount;

• receives a gift or contract from a foreign source (other than a foreign country of concern or foreign entity of concern) that is valued at $50,000 or more, considered alone or in combination with all other gifts or contracts within a calendar year (current disclosure threshold is $250,000 or more), or which has an undetermined monetary value;

• enters into a contract with a foreign country of concern or foreign entity of concern after receiving a waiver for such contract; or

• is substantially controlled by a foreign source.

Additionally, the bill

• prohibits IHEs from entering into contracts with a foreign country of concern or with a foreign entity of concern without obtaining a waiver, and

• requires certain IHEs to disclose gifts or contracts between covered individuals (e.g., researchers) and foreign sources.

The bill requires ED to investigate possible violations of this bill and outlines the various penalties for each violation. Penalties may include losing eligibility for federal student financial aid.

This resolution designates March 27, 2025, as National Women in Agriculture Day. It also recognizes the important role of women in agriculture as producers, educators, leaders, mentors, and more.

The resolution urges the E3 (the United Kingdom, France, and Germany) to invoke the snapback of United Nations (UN) sanctions against Iran under UN Security Council Resolution 2231 before the option expires on October 18, 2025.

This resolution also (1) recognizes that Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon would threaten U.S. and global security, (2) condemns Iran's repeated violations of certain international commitments related to nuclear weapons, and (3) reaffirms that the United States maintains the right to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Rural Veterinary Workforce Act

This bill excludes from gross income, for federal tax purposes, payments received pursuant to the Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program or any state loan repayment or loan forgiveness program that is intended to provide for increased access to veterinary services. (The Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program is a Department of Agriculture program that repays a portion of the student loans of veterinarians who provide short-term services in designated veterinary shortage areas.)