Iowa Congressional Bills

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 14, 2025

HR 2142: Social Security Overpayment Relief Act

HR 2142, the Social Security Overpayment Relief Act, prevents the U.S. government from seeking repayment of Social Security overpayments that occurred more than 10 years before the Commissioner determines the overpayment. It applies to both retirement/disability benefits (Title II) and Supplemental Security Income (Title XVI) programs. The bill directly affects beneficiaries who received incorrect payments years ago, as the government can no longer pursue recovery for overpayments older than a decade. This creates a clear 10-year limit on the government's ability to adjust payments or recover funds from individuals. The change modifies existing Social Security Act provisions to establish this time limit for overpayment adjustments.

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 14, 2025

HR 2094: HELPER Act of 2025

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.

Topics ✓ Education ✓ Housing

John H. Rutherford (R) · 153 co-sponsors

in committee · Iowa · House Mar 14, 2025

HR 2127: Expel Illegal Chinese Police Act of 2025

This bill requires the U.S. government to impose sanctions on Chinese police departments and related personnel operating in the United States. Specifically, it mandates freezing assets and blocking entry for: (1) provincial/municipal police departments in China (including Xinjiang and Fujian), their senior leaders, and entities linked to China's United Front Work Department operating covertly in the U.S.; and (2) employees of these entities, their immediate family members, or individuals aiding their U.S. presence. Key mechanisms include revoking all existing visas immediately, blocking new visas, and freezing U.S.-based assets under existing economic authority. The sanctions apply to both foreign entities and individuals, with limited 30-day national security waivers possible.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 13, 2025

S 1027: Military Spouse Hiring Act

This bill expands the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include military spouses. It adds "qualified military spouse" as a new category eligible for the credit, meaning employers who hire spouses of active-duty service members can claim the tax benefit. To qualify, a spouse must be certified by a local agency as married to an Armed Forces member at the time of hire. The change applies to hires occurring after the law's effective date, directly affecting military spouses seeking employment and employers who hire them.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Tim Kaine (D) · 39 co-sponsors

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 13, 2025

S 1057: A bill to modify the requirements for transfers of United States defense articles and defense services among the Baltic states.

This bill (S 1057) simplifies defense cooperation among Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia. It allows these Baltic states to transfer U.S. defense articles or services to each other without needing separate U.S. government approval. A key provision establishes a shared ammunition system for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) training and operations across the three nations. The bill directly affects military coordination between Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia by enabling faster, more flexible defense equipment sharing.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 13, 2025

S 1064: FOCA Act

The FOCA Act (S 1064) requires federal agencies to ensure open competition on construction projects by prohibiting them from mandating or banning contractors from entering into labor agreements (like union contracts) or discriminating against contractors based on such agreements. It directly affects federal contractors, subcontractors, and agencies awarding construction contracts or grants for projects involving federal funds. Key provisions ban specific bid specifications or project documents from requiring labor affiliations, apply to all contracts after enactment, and mandate updates to federal procurement rules within 60 days. The bill aims to reduce taxpayer costs, expand opportunities for small businesses, and maintain federal neutrality in labor relations for construction projects.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Todd Young (R) · 23 co-sponsors

passed · Iowa · House Mar 13, 2025

HR 1156: Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act

HR 1156, the Pandemic Unemployment Fraud Enforcement Act, extends the time limit for prosecuting fraud related to pandemic unemployment programs. It adds a 10-year window for criminal or civil actions against individuals who falsely claimed benefits under Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), or Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC). The law applies only to fraud committed during these specific pandemic-era programs and does not revive cases where the original statute of limitations had already expired before this bill passed. This change gives authorities more time to pursue fraud cases without altering the programs' core eligibility rules.

Jason Smith (R) · 25 co-sponsors

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 12, 2025

S 981: Foreign Agents Transparency Act

S 981, the Foreign Agents Transparency Act, amends the 1938 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) to strengthen transparency around foreign influence. It clarifies that foreign agents must register continuously while acting for a foreign principal (not just during specific periods) and allows the Attorney General to seek court orders requiring compliance even after an agent's work for a foreign principal ends. The bill also mandates annual, machine-readable reports from the Attorney General to Congress detailing enforcement actions against foreign agents, including their names, the reasons for actions, and current status. These changes directly affect individuals acting as agents for foreign governments or entities and aim to improve oversight of foreign influence activities.

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 12, 2025

S 990: Freedom to Haul Act of 2025

S 990, the Freedom to Haul Act of 2025, prohibits the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing or enforcing Phase 3 greenhouse gas emissions standards for heavy-duty vehicles (finalized in April 2024). It amends the Clean Air Act to require that future emissions rules for vehicles cannot mandate specific technologies or limit the availability of new trucks based on engine type. This directly affects EPA regulatory authority and vehicle manufacturers, ensuring a broader range of new truck options remains available. The bill focuses on preventing regulatory restrictions on vehicle choice, not on emissions outcomes.

Topics ✗ Energy ✗ Environment ✗ Technology ✗ Transportation

Dan Sullivan (R) · 17 co-sponsors

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 12, 2025

S 995: Choice in Automobile Retail Sales Act of 2025

This bill repeals the EPA's 2024 emissions standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles and amends the Clean Air Act to prevent future regulations from mandating specific technologies or limiting new vehicle availability based on engine type. It directly affects the EPA's regulatory authority and vehicle manufacturers by blocking technology mandates and restrictions on engine types in new vehicles. Key provisions require the EPA to revise regulations within 24 months to align with these changes, ensuring no federal rules limit vehicle choices based on engine technology. The bill's title is misleading, as it does not address automobile retail sales or consumer choice at dealerships.

Topics ✗ Energy ✗ Environment ✗ Technology ✗ Transportation

Mike Crapo (R) · 25 co-sponsors

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 12, 2025

S 1009: Baltic Security Initiative Act

The Baltic Security Initiative Act (S 1009) establishes a new U.S. Department of Defense program to strengthen military cooperation with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (the "Baltic countries"). It authorizes $350 million annually for fiscal years 2026-2028 to support specific security goals, including deterring Russian aggression, enhancing NATO's eastern flank defense, and improving joint capabilities like missile defense, cyber resilience, and ammunition stockpiling. The bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a strategy report within one year of enactment, detailing how the initiative will achieve these objectives through existing authorities. This program directly affects U.S. defense planning and security assistance for the Baltic nations, focusing on concrete military cooperation rather than new laws or regulations.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Iowa · Senate Mar 11, 2025

S 478: Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act of 2025

Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act of 2025 This bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from transmitting certain information to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) utilized by licensed importers or dealers of firearms. Specifically, the bill prohibits the VA from transmitting personally identifying information of a veteran or a beneficiary to the NICS solely on the basis that such veteran or beneficiary has an appointed fiduciary to manage their benefits, unless there is an order or finding of a judicial authority that such veteran or beneficiary is a danger to themselves or others.

Topics ✓ Veterans

John Kennedy (R) · 40 co-sponsors

Iowa Congressional Bills

Bill results