Mark Messmer

This bill increases the annual limit on the tax credit for qualified railroad track maintenance expenses (also referred to as the short line railroad tax credit) and expands eligibility for claiming the credit.

Under current law, the tax credit is limited each tax year to $3,500 multiplied by the sum of the number of miles of railroad track owned or leased by the taxpayer (miles owned or leased) and the number of railroad track miles assigned to the taxpayer by a Class II or III railroad (miles assigned). This bill increases the annual limit to $6,100 multiplied by the sum of miles owned or leased and miles assigned. The $6,100 amount used in the calculation of the tax credit limit is adjusted for inflation for tax years beginning after 2025.

The bill also expands eligibility for the tax credit to include gross expenses for maintaining railroad tracks owned or leased as of January 1, 2024. Under current law, the tax credit is limited to gross expenses for maintaining railroad tracks owned or leased as of January 1, 2015.

This joint resolution revokes the waiver granted to the California Air Resources Board regarding new emissions standards for new 2024 and subsequent model year on-road heavy-duty vehicles and engines, off-road diesel engines, and off-road diesel-fueled auxiliary power units. (Under the Clean Air Act, California may seek waivers of the preemption prohibiting states from enacting certain emission standards.)

Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency notice titled California State Motor Vehicle and Engine and Nonroad Engine Pollution Control Standards; The ‘Omnibus’ Low NOX Regulation; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision.

This joint resolution revokes the waiver granted to the California Air Resources Board regarding its Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulations, which include new requirements for low-emission vehicles and zero-emission vehicles. (Under the Clean Air Act, California may seek waivers of the preemption prohibiting states from enacting certain emission standards.)

Specifically, the 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.

This joint resolution revokes waivers granted to the California Air Resources Board regarding several of its regulations, including the Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Emission Warranty Regulations and Maintenance Provisions. (Under the Clean Air Act, California may seek waivers of the preemption prohibiting states from enacting certain emission standards.)

Specifically, the joint resolution nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency notice titled California State Motor Vehicle and Engine Pollution Control Standards; Heavy-Duty Vehicle and Engine Emission Warranty and Maintenance Provisions; Advanced Clean Trucks; Zero Emission Airport Shuttle; Zero-Emission Power Train Certification; Waiver of Preemption; Notice of Decision.

Financial Integrity and Regulation Management Act or the FIRM Act

This bill prohibits the consideration of reputational risk by federal banking agencies when regulating, examining, or supervising a depository institution or credit union. The bill defines reputational risk as the potential for negative publicity or public attention to decrease confidence in the institution, lead to litigation, reduce revenues, or result in other adverse impacts to the institution.

Agencies must report on the implementation of this bill.

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.

Supporting all Healthy Options when Purchasing Produce Act of 2025 or the SHOPP Act of 2025

This bill modifies the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP) to include fresh frozen fruits and vegetables.

GusNIP is a Department of Agriculture (USDA) program that provides grants for projects that increase low-income consumers' purchases of fruits and vegetables. It is made up of three competitive grant programs, including the GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program, which provides grants for projects that provide incentives for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants to purchase fruits and vegetables.

The bill directs USDA, in awarding GusNIP Nutrition Incentive Program grants, to give priority to projects that increase year-round availability of nutrition incentives by offering fresh frozen fruits or vegetables in the program.

In addition, the bill amends another GusNIP program, the Produce Prescription Program, to include fresh frozen fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh and fresh frozen legumes. Currently, only fresh fruits and vegetables are covered under the program.

The GusNIP Produce Prescription Program supports projects that demonstrate and evaluate the impact of fruit and vegetable prescriptions on increasing procurement and consumption of fruits and vegetables, reducing individual and household food insecurity, and reducing healthcare usage and associated costs.

Major Richard Star Act

This bill allows a veteran with a combat-related disability to receive retirement pay, without reduction, concurrently with their disability compensation. This includes veterans with a combat-related disability and fewer than 20 years of creditable service. (Currently, veterans who receive combat-related special compensation and retirement pay are subject to an offset in retirement pay for concurrent receipt of such benefits.)

Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act or the SAVE Act

This bill requires individuals to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections.

Specifically, the bill prohibits states from accepting and processing an application to register to vote in a federal election unless the applicant presents documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. The bill specifies what documents are considered acceptable proof of U.S. citizenship, such as identification that complies with the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates U.S. citizenship.

Further, the bill (1) prohibits states from registering an individual to vote in a federal election unless, at the time the individual applies to register to vote, the individual provides documentary proof of U.S. citizenship; and (2) requires states to establish an alternative process under which an applicant may submit other evidence to demonstrate U.S. citizenship.

Each state must take affirmative steps on an ongoing basis to ensure that only U.S. citizens are registered to vote, which shall include establishing a program to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens using information supplied by certain sources.

Additionally, states must remove noncitizens from their official lists of eligible voters.

The bill allows for a private right of action against an election official who registers an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.

The bill establishes criminal penalties for certain offenses, including registering an applicant to vote in a federal election who fails to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship.

This resolution recognizes the important role of women in agriculture as producers, educators, leaders, mentors, and more.

Stop Illegal Reentry Act

This bill increases criminal penalties for certain non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) who illegally reenter the United States after removal or exclusion.

Generally, an individual who had been denied entry into or removed from the United States and who later enters or attempts to enter the United States without prior approval from the Department of Homeland Security shall be fined, imprisoned for up to five years, or both. Current law requires a fine, imprisonment for up to two years, or both, for such an individual.

An individual who had been denied entry or removed three or more times and who later enters or attempts to enter the United States shall be fined, imprisoned for up to 10 years, or both.

An individual who was convicted of an aggravated felony or convicted at least two times before removal or departure and who subsequently enters or tries to enter the United States shall be imprisoned at least 5 years and for up to 20 years and may also be fined. Currently, there is no minimum term of imprisonment for an individual who reenters after a conviction for an aggravated felony, and there are no criminal penalties for a reentering individual who had been convicted at least two times (other than the penalties for illegal reentry generally).

Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025

This bill allows livestock producers and their employees to take certain actions against black vultures to protect livestock. (Black vultures are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.)

Specifically, livestock producers and their employees may (1) take (i.e., capture, kill, or disperse, or transport the carcass of) a black vulture that they reasonably believe will cause death, injury, or destruction to livestock; or (2) in the course of taking or attempting to take the black vulture, cause injury to the bird. However, they may not take or attempt to take a black vulture through the use of poison.

Livestock producers and their employees must submit an annual report to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) on black vultures taken under this bill. The FWS must develop a reporting form and make this reporting form available on its website.

Currently, the FWS has a permit process under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act for the taking of black vultures.

No Harm Act

This bill prohibits federal funding for sex-trait altering treatment for minors, authorizes civil actions for harm caused by such procedures, and subjects certain procedures to potential criminal penalties. The bill defines sex-trait altering treatment as generally meaning medical treatment altering the physical or physiological characteristics of an individual’s biological sex (except for treating sexual development disorders, severe injuries, or injuries caused by sex-trait altering treatments).

The bill prohibits federal funds for

• supporting sex-trait altering treatment for minors,

• government regulatory action promoting such treatment,

• medical institutions providing such treatment, and

• elementary or secondary schools allowing school personnel to provide or support such treatment without parental consent.

The bill prohibits discrimination against, or penalization of, providers who decline to perform such treatment. Additionally, parents of a minor have a right to decline such treatment for the minor. States that require providers to furnish such treatment, or that do not require parental consent, may not receive certain federal funds.

The bill establishes a private right of action against health care providers for harm caused by such treatment or for not obtaining parental consent. It also generally establishes a private right of action against individuals or entities that violate the bill's other provisions.

Finally, the bill makes changes to the existing federal criminal prohibition on performing female genital mutilation on a minor. The bill specifies that the performance of sex-altering surgery on a minor is not considered medically necessary and thus may be subject to the applicable criminal penalties.