Mike Rounds

Military Spouse Hiring Act

This bill allows employers to claim a tax credit for a percentage of qualified wages paid to an employee who is a military spouse by expanding the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to add qualified military spouses as a targeted group. (The WOTC applies to employers who hire members of specific targeted groups, such as veterans, ex-felons, and long-term unemployment recipients, and is generally equal to a percentage of the wages paid to such individuals in the first year of employment, up to a maximum amount. Under current law, the wages must be paid before 2026.)

The bill defines a qualified military spouse as any individual who is certified by a state workforce agency as being (as of the hiring date) a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces.

Cybersecurity for Rural Water Systems Act

This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a cybersecurity circuit rider program to provide cybersecurity technical assistance for rural water and wastewater systems.

The program must be structured similarly to the USDA Circuit Rider Program. Under this program, USDA provides technical assistance to rural water systems that serve areas with populations of 10,000 or fewer people and are experiencing day-to-day operational, financial, or managerial issues.

Specifically, the cybersecurity circuit rider program must provide technical assistance to rural water or wastewater systems to

• provide rapid assessments of the system's current ability or inability to respond to cybersecurity threats and protect cyber infrastructure,

• develop reasonable protocols to enhance cybersecurity protection,

• provide assistance to address inadequate cyber protection plans, and

• document a system's current state of water supply cyber protection.

This resolution designates March 6, 2025, as National Slam the Scam Day to

• raise awareness and amplify the messaging about scams involving individuals impersonating government employees,

• encourage policies and programs to prevent such scams,

• recognize those who work to prevent such scams, and

• encourage the public to report and share information about such scams.

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.

Retirement Fairness for Charities and Educational Institutions Act of 2025

This bill allows 403(b) retirement plans (i.e., retirement plans designed for certain employees of public schools, charities, and churches) to invest in collective investment trusts, which are a group of pooled investment assets held by a bank or trust company, and in insurance company separate accounts.

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure that a veteran may obtain a physical copy of the form needed for travel reimbursements at any VA medical facility or, upon request, by mail. The VA must also ensure a veteran may submit the form to any VA medical facility in person or by mail. Such medical facilities must evaluate the form and process any claim associated with the form.

Strengthening Exports Against China Act

This bill allows the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) to exclude financing provided to certain U.S. exporters from its default rate cap calculations.

EXIM, the official export credit agency of the United States, provides financing for U.S. exports of goods and services. EXIM monitors credit and other transaction risks, reserves against losses, and submits quarterly reports to Congress on its default rate. If its default rate reaches 2%, EXIM faces an immediate lending cap freeze.

This bill exempts certain transactions from EXIM's default rate calculation, thereby allowing EXIM to provide financing to these U.S. exporters without the risk of reaching the default rate cap.

Specifically, the bill allows EXIM to exclude from the default rate cap any financing provided to U.S. exporters under the China and Transformational Exports Program. (This program allows EXIM to extend loans, guarantees, and insurance to advance the comparative leadership of the United States with respect to China in specified export areas, such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and wireless communications equipment.)

Additionally, the bill allows EXIM to exclude from the default rate cap any financing provided to U.S. exporters that are competing with products or services provided by (1) a foreign entity included on the Entity List maintained by the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (e.g., entities involved in activities contrary to U.S. national security or foreign policy interests), or (2) a foreign individual or entity sanctioned by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control.

Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act

This bill requires states to establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may temporarily treat children under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) without undergoing additional screening requirements.

Specifically, states must establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may enroll for five years as participating providers to treat individuals under the age of 21 without undergoing additional screening requirements.

A qualifying out-of-state provider (1) must not have been excluded or terminated from participating in a federal health care program or state Medicaid program; and (2) must have been successfully enrolled in Medicare or a state Medicaid program based on a determination that the provider posed a limited risk of fraud, waste, or abuse.

The bill’s changes take effect three years after enactment.

Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025

This bill extends increased dependency and indemnity compensation to the surviving spouse of a veteran whom the Department of Veterans Affairs has determined died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) regardless of how long the veteran had such disease prior to death. Under current law, such compensation is paid for a service-connected disability that was rated totally disabling for a continuous period of at least eight years immediately preceding death.

Under the bill, such extension of increased compensation applies retroactively to veterans who died from ALS on or after October 1, 2022.

Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025

This act sets forth requirements for the processing of a proposed residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The BIA must notify lenders upon receipt of such documentation, perform a preliminary review of such documents not later than 10 days after receipt, and approve or disapprove of such documents within 20 or 30 days, depending on the type of application.

Additionally, the act sets forth requirements for the BIA regarding (1) response times for the completion of certified title status reports, (2) notification of delays in processing, and (3) the form of notices and delivery of certain reports.

The act also provides relevant federal agencies and Indian tribes with read-only access to the Trust Asset and Accounting Management System maintained by the BIA.

The Government Accountability Office must report on digitizing documents for the purpose of streamlining and expediting the completion of mortgage packages for residential mortgages on Indian land.

Finally, the act establishes within the BIA's Division of Real Estate Services the position of Realty Ombudsman.

This resolution supports the designation of February 15-22, 2025, as National FFA (Future Farmers of America) Week.

It also celebrates the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America (NFA), which served Black vocational agriculture students in segregated public schools until NFA and FFA became one organization in 1965.

The resolution also commemorates the 75th anniversary of the federal charter for the Future Farmers of America.

Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives for Veterans Act of 2025 or the SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act of 2025

This bill addresses certain mobility and aging care and services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

First, the bill requires the establishment and operation of the Office of Falls Prevention within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) for purposes of providing, evaluating, and improving VA health care services related to falls prevention.

Among other duties, the office must oversee and support a national education campaign for veterans, their families, and health care providers that focuses on reducing falls and increases awareness of available benefits or services provided by the VA to reduce falls.

The bill also expands membership of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Healthy Aging and Age-Friendly Communities by including the VA.

The VA must issue or update directives of the VHA for facilities and providers relating to safe patient handling and mobility policies.

Additionally, the VA must determine the feasibility and advisability of implementing a pilot program to provide home improvements and structural alterations to prevent falls for veterans who are eligible for such services under VA laws.

Finally, the bill requires the VA to ensure certain veterans receive a falls risk assessment from a licensed physical therapist or occupational therapist.

Fair Credit for American Hostages Act of 2025

This bill prohibits a consumer reporting agency from including adverse credit information on a consumer's credit report from an event that occurred during a time when that consumer was held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad.

Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act of 2025

This bill extends certain federal tax deadlines for U.S. nationals who are unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad and their spouses. The bill also allows for an abatement and refund of additional taxes, interest, and penalties assessed to such individuals for failing to meet a federal tax deadline during a period of detention.

Specifically, under the bill, the time period during which a U.S. national is unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or held hostage abroad is disregarded in determining certain federal tax deadlines, including deadlines for

• filing a return for and paying federal income, estate, gift, employment, or excise taxes;

• a tax credit or refund claim; and

• the determination, assessment, and collection of additional taxes, interest, or penalties.

The bill requires the Department of State and the Department of Justice to annually provide the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) with lists to identify U.S. nationals who qualify for an extension.

The bill also requires the IRS to (1) abate and refund additional taxes, interest, and penalties assessed for any tax year ending during a period of detention for which an extension of a federal tax deadline is permitted; and (2) establish a program allowing U.S. nationals unlawfully or wrongfully detained abroad or taken hostage abroad (or their spouse or dependent) to claim a refund of additional taxes, interest, and penalties assessed for any tax year ending during a period of detention from 2021 to the bill’s enactment date.

Ensuring VetSuccess On Campus Act of 2025

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that the VetSuccess on Campus (VSOC) program is located in every state. The program supports veterans, servicemembers, and qualified dependents who are transitioning from military service to college life.

The VA must ensure that at least one VSOC counselor is located in each state.

This resolution recognizes the 80th anniversary of the amphibious landing of U.S. troops on the Japanese island of Iwo Jima in 1945 and commemorates the historic raising of the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi that occurred on February 23, 1945. Additionally, the resolution recognizes the 250th year since the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy.

This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau titled Overdraft Lending: Very Large Financial Institutions and published on December 30, 2024. The rule revises provisions regarding charges for insufficient funds in a customer’s bank account (i.e., overdrafts) at very large financial institutions. Under the rule, these institutions must (1) cap overdraft charges at $5; (2) with justification, cap charges at a higher amount; or (3) handle overdrafts as credit and comply with applicable Truth in Lending Act disclosure requirements.

Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025

This bill amends the Clean Air Act to address the limitations on Reid Vapor Pressure (a measure of gasoline's volatility) that are placed on gasoline during the summer ozone season. Specifically, the bill applies the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements that is applicable to gasoline blended with 10% ethanol (E10) to gasoline blended with up to 15% ethanol (E15). This change allows gasoline that is blended with 10% to 15% ethanol to be sold year-round.

Currently, states may be excluded from the waiver for Reid Vapor Pressure requirements by submitting documentation supporting that the waiver would increase air pollution. The bill nullifies existing state exclusions, but states may submit documentation after enactment of the bill to be excluded going forward.

The bill also modifies the Renewable Fuel Standard Program, which requires transportation fuel sold or introduced into commerce in the United States to contain minimum volumes of renewable fuel. Under the existing program, obligated parties, such as small refineries, must satisfy the volume obligations by either blending renewable fuels into their gasoline or diesel fuel products or by acquiring credits that represent the required renewable fuel volume. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency to return compliance credits to small refineries under certain circumstances.