American Relief Act, 2025

What H.R. 10545 does, in plain terms

American Relief Act, 2025 This act provides continuing FY2025 appropriations for federal agencies and supplemental appropriations for disaster relief. It also extends various expiring programs and authorities, including several public health and agriculture programs. DIVISION A--FURTHER CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2025 Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 This division provides continuing FY2025 appropriations to federal agencies through the earlier of March 14, 2025, or the enactment of the applicable appropriations act. It is known as a continuing resolution (CR) and prevents a government shutdown that would otherwise occur if the FY2025 appropriations bills have not been enacted when the existing CR expires on December 20, 2024. The CR funds most programs and activities at the FY2024 levels with several exceptions that provide funding flexibility and additional appropriations for various programs. (Sec. 101) This section provides FY2025 appropriations to federal agencies for continuing projects or activities at the levels and under the conditions included in specified FY2024 appropriations acts. The section also extends several immigration-related programs and specifies several exceptions. The section provides additional funding to the District of Columbia for costs associated with emergency planning and security activities related to the January 2025 Presidential Inauguration. It also amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 to add the following provisions: (Sec. 153) This section permits the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to apportion specified funds at the rate necessary to maintain the acquisition schedule for Geostationary Earth Orbit. (Sec. 154) This section permits the Department of Justice to apportion Justice Information Technology funding at the rate necessary to carry out proactive vulnerability detection and penetration testing activities. (Sec. 155) This section provides additional emergency funding for the Federal Bureau of Investigation to conduct risk reduction and modification of National Security Systems. (Sec. 156) This section permits the Navy to apportion specified funds at the rate necessary for activities related to the procurement of a Columbia Class Submarine. (Sec. 157) This section provides additional emergency funding to the Navy for (1) the Virginia Class Submarine program, and (2) for workforce wage and non-executive salary improvements for other nuclear-powered vessel programs. Specifically, the funds may be used to incrementally fund contract obligations for the improvement of workforce wages and non-executive level salaries on new or existing contracts pertaining to the Virginia Class Submarine program or to other nuclear-powered vessel programs. (Sec. 158) This section provides additional emergency funding to DOD for conducting risk reduction and modification of National Security Systems. (Sec. 159) This section allows the Department of Energy (DOE) to apportion specified funds for Atomic Energy Defense Activities at the rate necessary to sustain specialized security activities. It also requires DOE and the Office of Management and Budget to notify Congress no later than three days after each use of this authority. (Sec. 160) This section provides additional emergency funding to DOE for conducting risk reduction and modification of National Security Systems. (Sec. 161) This section extends and increases the authorization of appropriations for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. (Sec. 162) This section provides additional emergency funding to the Department of the Treasury for conducting risk reduction and modification of National Security Systems. (Sec. 163) This section extends the exemption from the Antideficiency Act for the Federal Communications Commission's Universal Service Fund. (Sec. 164) This section extends limits on pay increases for the Vice President and certain senior political appointees. (Sec. 165) This section permits the Department of Education to apportion Student Aid Administration funds at the rate necessary ensure the continuation of student loan servicing activities and the student aid application and eligibility determination processes. (Sec. 166) This section allows certain unobligated military construction funds that were provided to the Army to be used for an access road project at Arlington National Cemetery. (Sec. 167) This section provides that specified rescissions of funds from various Veteran Health Administration accounts do not apply during the period covered by the CR. (Sec. 168) This section extends the term of a member of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Board of Directors. (Sec. 169) This section permits the Federal Aviation Administration to apportion funds at the rate necessary to fund mandatory pay increases and other inflationary adjustments, to maintain and improve air traffic services, to hire and train air traffic controllers, and to continue aviation safety oversight, while avoiding service reductions. DIVISION B--DISASTER RELIEF SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2025 Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025 This division provides supplemental appropriations to various federal agencies for disaster relief and assistance to respond to hurricanes, wildfires, severe storms and flooding, tornadoes, and other natural disasters. TITLE I This title provides appropriations to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the Office of the Secretary, the Office of Inspector General, the Agricultural Research Service, the Emergency Forest Restoration Program and the Emergency Conservation Program within the Farm Service Agency, the Emergency Watershed Protection Program within the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Rural Development Disaster Assistance Fund, and the Commodity Assistance Program within the Food and Nutrition Service (Sec. 2101) This section modifies the requirements for the Rural Development Disaster Assistance Fund to allow the fund to be used for additional purposes and expand the activity or project limitations that USDA is permitted to waive. For example, this section permits USDA to waive certain limits on age and duplication with respect to replacement of damaged or destroyed utilities; specifies that the fund may be used for activities in areas affected by a disaster declared by the governor of a state or territory (currently USDA or the President); allows USDA to use alternative sources of income data provided by local, regional, state, or federal government sources to determine program eligibility; and specifies that, with respect to grants authorized by the Community Facilities Grant Program, USDA may not require the applicant to demonstrate that it is unable to finance the proposed project from its own resources, through commercial credit at reasonable rates and terms, or other funding sources without grant assistance. (Sec. 2102) This section requires USDA to make one-time economic assistance payments to producers of certain commodities if the expected gross return per acre for the commodity is less than the expected cost of production per acre for that eligible commodity. The section also specifies requirements for determining the (1) the expected gross return per acre, (2) the expected cost of production per acre, and (3) the amount of the economic assistance payment for a producer. TITLE II This title provides appropriations for the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice (DOJ), and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Within Commerce, the title provides appropriations to the Economic Development Administration for Economic Development Assistance Programs. The title also provides appropriations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for Operations, Research, and Facilities; Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction; and Fisheries Disaster Assistance. The title provides appropriations to DOJ for (1) the U.S. Marshals Service, and (2) the Federal Prison System. The title provides appropriations to NASA for Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration. TITLE III This title provides appropriations to the Department of Defense for Operation and Maintenance; Procurement; Research, Development, Test and Evaluation; and the Defense Health Program. TITLE IV This title provides appropriations for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Reclamation, and the Department of Energy (DOE). The title provides appropriations to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Investigations, Construction, Mississippi River and Tributaries, and Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies. The title provides appropriations to the Bureau of Reclamation for Water and Related Resources. Within DOE, the title provides appropriations for (1) the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; and (2) the National Nuclear Security Administration, including for Weapons Activities and Defense Environmental Cleanup. TITLE V This title provides appropriations to the U.S. Supreme Court for protection of the residences of the Supreme Court Justices. It also provides appropriations to the Small Business Administration for the Disaster Loans Program Account. TITLE VI This title provides appropriations to the Department of Homeland Security for the U.S. Coast Guard; the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including the Disaster Relief Fund and the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Account; and the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. TITLE VII This title provides appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Forest Service. The title provides appropriation to Interior for the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Office of Inspector General. The title provides appropriations to the EPA for (1) the Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program, and (2) State and Tribal Assistance Grants. The title provides appropriations to the Forest Service for Forest Service Operations; Forest and Rangeland Research; State, Private, and Tribal Forestry; the National Forest System; and Capital Improvement and Maintenance (Sec. 2701) This section allows Interior and the Forest Service to recruit and directly appoint highly qualified individuals into the competitive service to address certain critical hiring needs for the planning and execution of the projects and activities funded in this title without regard to specified hiring procedures and requirements. This section also specifies requirements and restrictions for using this authority. (Sec. 2702) This section requires agencies that receive funds provided by this title to submit detailed operating plans to Congress prior to obligating the funds. TITLE VIII This title provides appropriations to the Administration for Children and Families for Payments to States for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. (Sec. 2801) This section requires agencies that receive funds provided by this title to submit detailed operating plans to Congress prior to obligating the funds. TITLE IX This title provides appropriations to the Government Accountability Office for audits and investigations related to Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and other disasters. TITLE X This title provides appropriations for military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The title provides appropriations to the Department of Defense (DOD) for military construction for the Navy and Marine Corps. the Air Force, and the Army National Guard. The title also provides appropriations to the Navy and Marine Corps for (1) Family Housing Construction, and (2) Family Housing Operation and Maintenance. Within the VA, the t

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.