Young Kim

Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act or the HEATS Act

This bill exempts certain geothermal activities on state and private lands (except Indian lands) from drilling permit requirements as well as environmental and historic preservation review requirements.

First, the bill prohibits the Department of the Interior from requiring an operator to obtain a drilling permit under the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 for any geothermal exploration and production activity conducted on a nonfederal surface estate (i.e., the part of the estate that is above ground) if (1) the United States holds an ownership interest of less than 50% of the subsurface geothermal estate to be accessed by the proposed action, and (2) the operator submits to Interior a state permit to conduct the geothermal exploration and production activity on the nonfederal surface estate.

Next, the bill states that such geothermal exploration and production activity is not considered a major federal action under National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Thus, such activity does not trigger NEPA's environmental review requirements.

In addition, the bill exempts such activity from the consultation requirements under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. It also exempts the activity from review under the National Historic Preservation Act unless the state in which the activity occurs does not have a state law that addresses the preservation of historic properties.

This resolution expresses support for the designation of National Children's Emotional Wellness Month.

Credit Access and Inclusion Act of 2025

This bill allows for the reporting of certain positive consumer-credit information (such as the on-time payment of rent or utilities) to consumer reporting agencies.

Specifically, a person or the Department of Housing and Urban Development may report information related to a consumer's performance in making payments either under a lease agreement for a dwelling or pursuant to a contract for a utility or telecommunications service. However, information about a consumer's usage of any utility or telecommunications service may be reported only to the extent that the information relates to payment by the consumer for such service or other terms of the provision of that service. Furthermore, an energy utility firm may not report a consumer's outstanding balance as late if the firm and the consumer have entered into a payment plan and the consumer is meeting the obligations of that plan.

Specified provisions that establish civil liability with respect to furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies shall not apply to any violation of the bill.

The Government Accountability Office must report on the consumer impact of such reporting and the effect of reporting consumer cash flow data to consumer credit agencies.

Community Bank Leverage Improvement and Flexibility for Transparency Act or the Community Bank LIFT Act

This bill relaxes requirements related to the community bank leverage ratio, which is a simplified capital standard applicable to qualified community banks. Community banks qualify by having less than $10 billion in assets, along with meeting other criteria.

Specifically, the bill increases this asset limit to $15 billion. Additionally, it reduces the statutory range of the leverage ratio from 8%-10% to 6%-8%. (The specific rate is set by regulation. A reduction in the leverage ratio eases capital requirements.)

The Federal Reserve Board, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation must review and report on the leverage ratio and the rules issued to carry out its implementation. The report must include a consideration of how to modify the leverage ratio to encourage more participation in the community bank leverage ratio framework, with a focus on community banks with fewer assets and providing relief from regulatory compliance burdens.

After this report is issued, the participating agencies must propose and finalize rules to implement this bill and the recommendations contained in the report.

This bill restructures the Department of State's Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, dividing the office into four bureaus and two offices. (The current structure is here.) The bill also specifies the functions of these organizations and the responsibilities of the organizations' leaders.

Under the bill, the following organizations fall under the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs:

• the Bureau of Commercial Diplomacy covers trade and investment promotion and policy, international finance and development, and transportation affairs;

• the Bureau of Water, Environment, and Space Affairs covers space, oceans, environmental quality, fisheries, wildlife, wildlife trafficking, and conservation affairs;

• the Bureau of Energy Security and Diplomacy formulates and implements international energy, energy technology, critical minerals, and relevant supply chain policies;

• the Bureau of Sanctions Policy develops policies governing the imposition of sanctions and sanctions strategies;

• the Office of the Chief Economist provides expert economic advice and analysis; and

• the Office of Subnational Diplomacy enables the department’s work with state and local governments within the United States to improve the ability of those governments to attract foreign investment, counter foreign malign influence within the United States, and contribute to U.S. foreign policy priorities.

An assistant secretary with specified responsibilities leads each of the four bureaus. The heads of the two offices also have specified responsibilities.

The Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs shall administer and oversee the International Technology Security and Innovation Fund, which provides for technology security and semiconductor supply chain activities.

AUKUS Reform for Military Optimization and Review Act or the ARMOR Act

This bill expedites review processes for the export of certain defense articles and services to Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), and Canada.

Specifically, the bill exempts from certain congressional notification requirements the export or transfer of defense articles or services subject to the defense trade partnership between Australia, the UK, and the United States (AUKUS). (Under current law, exports and transfers of defense articles and services to Australia and the UK are exempt from certain export controls pursuant to AUKUS. Separately, approvals of certain commercial agreements and the export of certain defense articles, services, and equipment are generally subject to congressional notification requirements and a waiting period.) Under the bill, exports and transfers that are exempt from export controls pursuant to AUKUS are also exempt from these congressional notification requirements.

Further, the bill requires the Department of State to periodically review the list of defense articles and services excluded from AUKUS to ensure it includes only items that (1) are required by statute to be included, or (2) require licensing review for national security reasons.

Finally, the bill explicitly states that the existing expedited review process for applications to export certain commercial, advanced-technology defense articles and services to Australia, the UK, and Canada is available to all exports and transfers, including reexports, retransfers, temporary imports, and brokering activity. Such exports and transfers must take place wholly within or between the territory of these countries or the United States.

This resolution expresses gratitude to law enforcement agencies (including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) with respect to recent demonstrations in Los Angeles, California.

This resolution expresses gratitude to law enforcement agencies with respect to recent demonstrations in Los Angeles, California.

Improving Access to Small Business Information Act

This bill excludes from the Paperwork Reduction Act actions taken by the Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation within the Securities and Exchange Commission. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, agencies must comply with specific procedures when gathering information from the public.

The bill establishes several exceptions. For example, the office must inform the person receiving the collection of information the reasons the information is being collected, as required under current law.

This bill designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 340 East 1st Street in Tustin, California, as the "Ursula Ellen Kennedy Post Office Building".

Reviewing Economic and Protection Objectives for Reciprocal Tariffs Act or the REPORT Act

This bill requires public and congressional notification of certain increases or decreases in a duty (i.e., tariff) imposed by the President on articles imported into the United States.

Specifically, the President must publish information in the Federal Register within 48 hours of increasing or decreasing a duty on articles imported into the United States pursuant to a law or regulation authorizing modifications to duties on an emergency or discretionary basis. This publication must include (1) notice of such determination, and (2) a detailed justification for such increase or decrease.

Additionally, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative must brief specified congressional committees within seven days of the President making a determination to modify a duty. The briefing must include the justification for the President's determination.

Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2025

This bill requires standardized financial aid terminology and offer forms.

Specifically, the Department of Education (ED) must develop standard terminology and a format for financial aid offer forms based on recommendations from representatives of certain groups, including students, veterans, and institutions of higher education (IHEs).

The consumer-friendly form must include specified details and disclosures, including the estimated cost of attendance, the net price that a student or family is estimated to pay, and the terms and conditions of financial aid.

In addition, ED must (1) test the form with representatives of students, students' families, IHEs, secondary school and postsecondary counselors, and nonprofit consumer groups; and (2) use the results to develop the final form.

Each IHE that participates in federal student aid programs must (1) use the standard form when offering financial aid to students, and (2) use the standard terminology and definitions developed by ED for all communications related to financial aid offers.

Fair College Admissions for Students Act

This bill prohibits an institution of higher education (IHE) that participates in federal student aid programs from giving preferential treatment in the admissions process to applicants based on their relationships to donors or alumni of the IHE.

Uyghur Policy Act of 2025

This bill addresses human rights issues concerning the Uyghurs and other minority groups residing primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in China.

The bill directs the Department of State to prioritize policies and programs to support the Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups in the XUAR and to lead coordination efforts for the release of certain political prisoners in the XUAR.

The State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs may make certain funds available to human rights advocates working on behalf of Uyghurs and members of other persecuted minority groups from the XUAR. The funds shall be used to facilitate the presence of such human rights advocates at public diplomacy forums to speak on issues related to the human rights and religious freedoms of persecuted minority groups in China.

The State Department must ensure that Uyghur language training is available to Foreign Service officers. It must also ensure that a Uyghur-speaking member of the Foreign Service is assigned to U.S. diplomatic and consular posts in China.