Joaquin Castro

Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies Act or the DOMINANCE Act

This bill establishes a Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy in the Department of State and authorizes several programs to address access to energy and critical minerals.

The bureau must formulate and implement policies related to international energy, energy technology, critical minerals, and related supply chains. An assistant secretary is authorized to lead the bureau.

The bill authorizes the State Department to establish multi-year energy security compacts with partner countries. The purpose of such compacts is to increase reliable access to energy, electricity, or critical minerals for both parties to the compact.

The bill also authorizes the State Department to lead U.S. participation in a Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), whose purpose includes supporting investment in critical mineral mining, processing, and refining projects that enable critical mineral supply chains. The United States must prioritize MSP projects that advance the national and economic security interests of the United States and U.S. allies and partners.

Fellowships are authorized to support (1) U.S. citizens attending foreign mining institutions in order to build the capacity of the U.S. mining workforce; and (2) foreign mining academics and professionals being placed at U.S. institutions to help advance research and development initiatives in the U.S. mining industry and expand U.S. mining education and workforce development programs.

This concurrent resolution directs the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from Venezuela unless a declaration of war or authorization to use military force for such purpose has been enacted.

This resolution condemns Azerbaijan for its treatment of Dr. Gubad Ibadoghlu, practice of wrongful detention, and suppression of academic freedom. The resolution also calls for Dr. Ibadoghlu's immediate and unconditional release and for the Department of State to prioritize his well-being and release in all engagements with Azerbaijan.

Keeping All Students Safe Act

This bill prohibits the use of seclusion and limits the use of physical restraint in schools and Head Start programs that receive federal funding.

Specifically, the bill prohibits the use of seclusion, which is the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the student is physically prevented from leaving. The term does not include a time out, which may involve separating the student from others in a non-locked setting.

The bill prohibits the use of mechanical or chemical restraints or physical restraints that restrict breathing or are life threatening.

The bill outlines the requirements for the use of physical restraint, including that the student's behavior must pose an imminent danger of serious physical injury to the student or other individual. Each state must ensure that a sufficient number of program personnel are trained and certified by a state-approved crisis intervention training program. Additionally, each program must establish procedures to follow after an incident involving physical restraint.

Further, the bill establishes enforcement provisions, including a private right of action for a student who has been subjected to unlawful seclusion or restraint. The Department of Education and the Department of Health and Human Services must withhold payments from a program for unlawful seclusion or restraint.

Finally, the bill requires each state educational agency (SEA) to establish, implement, and enforce policies and procedures required by the bill. It also creates a grant program to assist SEAs with these activities.

Raise the Age Act of 2025

This bill establishes new restrictions on the sale or transfer of certain semiautomatic firearms to individuals under 21 years of age.

Specifically, this bill makes it unlawful for a licensed gun dealer, importer, manufacturer, or collector to sell or deliver a semiautomatic center-fire rifle or semiautomatic center-fire shotgun that has (or has the capacity to accept) an ammunition feeding device with a capacity of more than five rounds to an individual who the licensee knows or has reasonable cause to believe is under age 21.

The prohibition does not apply if the individual under age 21 is a full-time law enforcement officer or active-duty member of the Armed Forces.

The bill also requires the Federal Bureau of Investigation to report on the operation of its public access line, including a description of information sharing protocols and recommendations for improving such protocols.

This bill designates the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 4400 East Paisano Drive in El Paso, Texas, as the Enedina Sanchez Cordero Post Office Building.

Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act

This bill requires the President to (1) impose applicable sanctions on foreign persons (individuals or entities) responsible for online financial scams against U.S. nationals, and (2) establish an interagency task force to shut down the criminal syndicates perpetuating such scams.

Under the bill, the President must determine whether 43 specified foreign persons, and any other foreign persons the President determines are responsible for or complicit in online financial scams against U.S. nationals, are subject to sanctions under specified laws and Executive Order 13581. Upon such determination, the President must impose applicable sanctions (for example, blocking the sanctioned person's property transactions within the United States).

The President must also establish an interagency task force to shut down transnational criminal syndicates that use large scam centers and forced labor of trafficked persons to perpetuate mass online scams against Americans. The task force must (1) submit a comprehensive strategy to Congress to combat these scam centers and dismantle the criminal elements involved with them, and (2) coordinate and oversee implementation of the strategy. Within 360 days of submitting the strategy to Congress and annually thereafter for five years the task force must submit to Congress a report addressing various topics related to such scam centers including a list of all foreign persons sanctioned by the United States for their scam center involvement.

The Department of State is authorized to provide trauma-informed care, shelter, reintegration, and support services for victims of trafficking in persons within online scam centers.