Val Hoyle

This resolution requires the House of Representatives to convene and hold recorded quorum calls during a government shutdown. It also limits recesses and adjournments during a government shutdown.  Under the resolution, a government shutdown occurs when there is a lapse in appropriations for any federal agency or department as a result of a failure to enact a regular appropriations bill or a continuing resolution. The resolution requires the House to convene on each day on which a government shutdown is in effect unless a recess or adjournment is permitted. Under the resolution, such a recess or adjournment is only permitted if  * the House has met for each of the first five consecutive calendar days on which the government shutdown is in effect, * the proposed period of adjournment or recess does not last for more than two consecutive calendar days, and * the House has met for at least five consecutive calendar days since the expiration of the most recent period of adjournment or recess. The resolution also requires the House to hold at least one recorded quorum call on each day that the House is in session during a government shutdown.  Members of the House who fail to record their presence during a quorum call on two or more consecutive days must be fined $500 for a first offense and $2,500 for any subsequent offense unless the failure is due to an illness. A Member may not use official or campaign funds to pay the fine.

**Smoke and Heat Ready Communities Act of 2025** This bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make grants to air pollution control agencies to support the development and implementation of programs that support local communities in detecting, preparing for, communicating with the public about, or mitigating the environmental and public health aspects of wildfire smoke and extreme heat. The EPA must establish a formula to distribute the grants among air pollution control agencies. The bill requires the EPA to establish four Centers of Excellence for Wildfire Smoke and Extreme Heat at institutions of higher education to research (1) the effects of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat on public health, and (2) the means by which communities can better respond to impacts from such conditions. Additionally, the EPA must begin to carry out research to * study the health effects of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat; * develop and disseminate personal and community-based interventions to reduce exposure to, and health effects of, wildland fire smoke emissions and extreme heat; * increase the quality of smoke and extreme heat monitoring and prediction tools and techniques; and * develop implementation and communication strategies. The EPA must also establish a competitive grant program to assist certain entities (e.g., a state) in developing and implementing collaborative community plans for mitigating the impacts of smoke emissions from wildland fires and extreme heat.

**Stop Sports Blackouts Act of 2025** This bill requires cable and satellite broadcast providers to issue rebates to customers who are denied access to video programming included in their subscription because of programming negotiations.  Specifically, where a provider’s negotiations related to the retransmission or carriage of video programming result in the provider failing to offer access to programming included in a customer’s subscription, the customer must be issued a rebate for the affected period. The Federal Communications Commission is directed to issue rules to this effect, including to establish the appropriate amount for such a rebate.

**Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act or Tim's Act** This bill increases compensation and establishes additional benefits and programs for federal wildland firefighters. (These individuals are employed by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, or tribal governments.)  The bill increases the minimum rate of basic pay for wildland firefighters at General Schedule (GS) levels 1 through 15 by percentages specified in the bill, with smaller increases for higher GS levels. The bill also requires comparable increases to the hourly rates paid to prevailing rate employees who are wildland firefighters. It also establishes premium pay for wildland firefighters who respond to certain prolonged fire incidents and are deployed outside of their normal duty stations or to an area adjacent to the incident. These changes take effect after other temporary pay increases for wildland firefighters expire. The bill also (1) establishes paid rest and recuperation leave; (2) allows certain prior service to be credited for retirement purposes; and (3) provides housing allowances, tuition assistance, and other benefits for wildland firefighters. Further, the bill directs the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor to ensure that psychological stress-related injuries and illnesses correlated to fire response are compensated and to expedite related claims. The bill also establishes programs to (1) assist the next-of-kin of wildland firefighters and fire support personnel who are critically injured or killed while in the line of duty, and (2) support the mental and physical health of wildland firefighters.

**Department of Veterans Affairs Continuing Professional Education Modernization Act or the VA CPE Modernization Act** This bill modifies the program under which the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reimburses certain full-time health care professionals for continuing professional education expenses. Under current law, only board-certified physicians and dentists are eligible for such reimbursement. The bill expands the program to require reimbursement for various specified full-time health care professionals (e.g., registered nurses) and increases the amount available for a physician or dentist. Additionally, the bill removes the requirement that an individual be board-certified to receive reimbursement. The VA may adjust the amount of the reimbursement, so long as the adjustment does not result in a reimbursement of less than $2,000 per year for each specified position.

**Increased TSP Access Act of 2025** This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to modify the certification process for Technical Service Providers (TSPs) at the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) by establishing an approval process for nonfederal certifying entities and a streamlined certification process for TSPs that hold certain specialty certifications. As background, TSPs are third-party service providers, such as private businesses, Indian tribes, and nonprofit organizations, that work on behalf of customers to offer planning, design, and implementation services that meet NRCS criteria. The bill specifies that USDA must ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, third-party providers with expertise in the technical aspects of conservation practice design, implementation, and evaluation are eligible to become approved TSPs. USDA must provide a streamlined certification process for TSPs who hold appropriate specialty certifications (e.g., certified crop advisors). In determining the eligibility of a nonfederal certifying entity, USDA must consider the ability, experience, expertise, and history of the entity. USDA must decide whether to approve an application submitted by a nonfederal certifying entity to certify TSPs within a specified time period. USDA must also review a TSP's certification by a nonfederal certifying entity within a specified time period. If the certification is satisfactory, USDA must include the TSP on a USDA-maintained registry of certified TSPs. The bill also specifies that TSPs must be paid at rates equivalent to technical assistance provided by USDA. Further, USDA must provide accessible public information on TSPs, including information on funding, certification results, and utilization rates.