H.R. 7007

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7007 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7007

To govern on behalf of the American people.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 12, 2026

Mr. McGovern introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, the Judiciary, Agriculture, Natural 
Resources, Science, Space, and Technology, Education and Workforce, 
Small Business, Energy and Commerce, Foreign Affairs, Intelligence 
(Permanent Select), Armed Services, Oversight and Government Reform, 
Veterans' Affairs, Financial Services, House Administration, Homeland 
Security, Rules, Ethics, the Budget, and Appropriations, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To govern on behalf of the American people.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Governing for the People Act''.

TITLE I

SECTION 101. FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION DEDUCTION AMENDMENTS.

(a) Extension.--Section 181(g) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 
is amended by striking ``December 31, 2025'' and inserting ``December 
31, 2030''.
(b) Increase in Dollar Limitation.--Section 181(a)(2)(A) of such 
Code is amended to read as follows:
``(A) In general.--Paragraph (1) shall not apply to 
so much of the aggregate cost of any qualified film or 
television production or any qualified live theatrical 
production as exceeds $30,000,000.''.
(c) Higher Dollar Limitation for Productions in Certain Areas.--
Section 181(a)(2)(B) of such Code is amended in the matter following 
clause (ii) by striking ``substituting `$20,000,000' for 
`$15,000,000''' and inserting ``substituting `$40,000,000' for 
`$30,000,000'''.
(d) Inflation Adjustment.--Section 181(a)(2) of such Code is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(C) Inflation adjustment.--
``(i) In general.--In the case of any 
taxable year beginning in a calendar year after 
2026, each dollar amount in subparagraph (A) or 
(B) shall be increased by an amount equal to--
``(I) such dollar amount, 
multiplied by
``(II) the cost-of-living 
adjustment determined under section 
1(f)(3) for the calendar year in which 
the taxable year begins, determined by 
substituting `calendar year 2025' for 
`calendar year 2016' in subparagraph 
(A)(ii) thereof.
``(ii) Rounding.--Any increase determined 
under clause (i) shall be rounded to the 
nearest multiple of $1,000.''.
(e) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to productions commencing after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.

TITLE II

SEC. 201. ADDITIONAL TOOL TO PREVENT CERTAIN FRAUDS AGAINST VETERANS.

(a) In General.--Chapter 63 of title 18, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 1352. Fraud regarding veterans' benefits
``(a) Whoever knowingly executes, or attempts to execute, any 
scheme or artifice to defraud an individual of veterans' benefits, or 
in connection with obtaining veteran's benefits for that individual, 
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, 
or both.
``(b) In this section--
``(1) the term `veteran' has the meaning given that term in 
section 101 of title 38; and
``(2) the term `veterans' benefits' means any benefit 
provided by Federal law for a veteran or a dependent or 
survivor of a veteran.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 63 of 
title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``1352. Fraud regarding veterans' benefits.''.

TITLE III

SEC. 301. PURPOSE.

The purpose of this title is to ensure that parties affected by 
wildland fires resulting from management activities conducted by the 
Department of Agriculture on National Forest System land are eligible 
to receive 100 percent funding for the cost of remediating direct and 
indirect damages under authorized Federal recovery programs.

SEC. 302. COST-SHARE WAIVER FOR REHABILITATION FROM WILDLAND FIRES.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered matching requirement.--The term ``covered 
matching requirement'' means a requirement under a program of 
the Secretary for wildland fire recovery for a State, Indian 
Tribe, locality, or individual to provide matching funds, in 
cash, for a project.
(2) Covered wildland fire.--The term ``covered wildland 
fire'' means a wildland fire that the Secretary determines to 
be a result of management activities conducted by the Secretary 
on National Forest System land.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Agriculture.
(4) Wildland fire.--
(A) In general.--The term ``wildland fire'' means 
any non-structure fire that occurs in vegetation or 
natural fuels.
(B) Inclusions.--The term ``wildland fire'' 
includes wildfire, prescribed fire, and any direct or 
indirect damage resulting in watershed impairment.
(b) Waiver.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary may waive any covered matching requirement for a project in 
response to a covered wildland fire that is in an area affected by that 
covered wildland fire.

TITLE IV

SEC. 401. AWARDS FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LITERACY PROGRAMS.

(a) Awards.--
(1) In general.--The Director of the National Science 
Foundation (NSF) may make awards to eligible entities, 
including nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, or 
consortiums of such entities, to develop, implement, and 
evaluate programs that promote AI literacy at the local level 
allowing communities to learn about AI from local, trusted 
sources.
(2) Use of funds.--Awards made under this subsection may be 
used for the following:
(A) To develop curricula, educational materials, 
and resources focused on AI literacy, including 
relating to understanding the basics of AI, its 
applications, ethical considerations, and the societal 
impacts of AI.
(B) To provide AI literacy education and training 
to marginalized communities, with priority given to 
communities of color, low-income populations, rural 
areas, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and 
other underserved groups.
(C) To conduct outreach and engagement activities 
to raise awareness of AI literacy and encourage 
participation in AI literacy programs.
(D) To evaluate the effectiveness of AI literacy 
programs and share best practices and lessons learned 
with other organizations and institutions.
(3) Prioritization.--In making awards under this 
subsection, the Director of the NSF may encourage applications 
that--
(A) demonstrate a strong commitment to serving 
marginalized communities, including senior citizens;
(B) have experience launching technology education 
local programs working with target populations; and
(C) propose innovative and scalable approaches to 
AI literacy education.
(4) Reporting.--Each recipient of an award made under this 
subsection shall submit to the Director of the NSF an annual 
report that may include the following:
(A) A description of the AI literacy programs 
funded by the award.
(B) Information relating to the number and 
demographics of individuals served by the award.
(C) An assessment of the impact of the award on 
participants' understanding of AI and its implications.
(b) Interagency Coordination, Reporting, and Award 
Identification.--
(1) Reports to congress.--Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the heads of the following 
Federal agencies shall each submit to Congress a report 
detailing how the respective agency can more effectively 
advance AI literacy:
(A) The Secretary of Labor shall assess how AI 
literacy can be integrated into workforce development 
programs, with a focus on preparing workers for the 
jobs of the future and maintaining the United States 
competitive advantage and national security through 
artificial intelligence.
(B) The Secretary of Commerce shall evaluate how AI 
literacy can enhance the competitiveness of United 
States businesses, particularly small and medium-sized 
enterprises, in the global AI economy, and contribute 
to maintaining the United States competitive advantage 
and national security through artificial intelligence.
(C) The Administrator of the Small Business 
Administration shall evaluate opportunities to support 
AI literacy among small business owners and 
entrepreneurs, with an emphasis on underserved 
communities, to maintain the United States competitive 
advantage and national security through artificial 
intelligence.
(D) The Secretary of Education shall identify 
strategies for incorporating AI literacy into K-12 and 
higher education curricula, ensuring that all students 
have access to quality AI education, and that AI 
literacy contributes to maintaining the United States 
competitive advantage and national security through 
artificial intelligence.
(2) Award identification and modification.--The head of 
each agency specified in paragraph (1) shall also include in 
the respective reports required under such paragraph the 
following:
(A) An identification of existing awards under the 
jurisdiction of the respective agency that can be 
modified to include AI literacy as an eligible use of 
funds.
(B) Recommendations on how such awards can be 
adapted to support AI literacy initiatives, 
particularly in the context of workforce development, 
business competitiveness, education, and national 
security.
(C) Specific examples of award programs that could 
be modified and the potential impact of such 
modifications.
(3) Consultation.--In preparing the reports and 
recommendations required under this subsection, the head of 
each agency shall consult with relevant stakeholders, including 
educators, industry representatives, community organizations, 
and AI experts.
(4) Public availability.--The reports required under this 
subsection shall be made publicly available on the websites of 
the respective agencies.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) AI.--The term ``AI'' means artificial intelligence.
(2) Artificial intelligence.--The term ``artificial 
intelligence'' means an engineered system that can generate 
output for a given set of human-defined objectives, such as 
content, predictions, recommendations, or decisions that 
influence people or environments.
(3) Artificial intelligence literacy; ai literacy.--The 
terms ``artificial intelligence literacy'' and ``AI literacy'' 
mean the ability for humans to understand, evaluate, and 
effectively use artificial intelligence technologies, including 
understanding artificial intelligence basics and knowing what 
artificial intelligence can do, how artificial intelligence 
works, and being aware of the effects on society of artificial 
intelligence.
(4) Ethical artificial intelligence.--The term ``ethical 
artificial intelligence'' means the practice of designing, 
developing, deploying, and using artificial intelligence 
systems to align with ethical principles and human values, 
considering the potential impact on society of such systems.

TITLE V

SEC. 501. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.

(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Director of National Intelligence shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees and Secretary of the 
Treasury a report analyzing oil and ballistic missile-related 
transactions between the People's Republic of China and the Islamic 
Republic of Iran.
(b) Elements.--The report required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
(1) An assessment of the purchases of Iranian oil by the 
People's Republic of China since 2020, including an assessment 
of the use of transshipment points and shell companies as 
methods to insulate the People's Republic of China from 
sanctions.
(2) An assessment of significant financial transactions by 
entities in the People's Republic of China related to the sale, 
supply, or transfer to Iran of chemical precursors and other 
materials that may support the ballistic missile program of 
Iran.
(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(1) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the 
Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign 
Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the 
Senate; and
(2) the Committee on Financial Services, the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, the Committee on Armed Services, the 
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select 
Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 502. DETERMINATION.

Not later than 6 months after the submission of the report required 
by section 2, the Secretary of the Treasury shall determine whether the 
People's Republic of China is conducting any sanctionable activities 
and report such determination to Congress.

TITLE VI

SEC. 601. COVERAGE REQUIREMENT.

(a) Coverage Standard.--All health insurers--including a group 
health plan, a health insurance issuer offering group or individual 
health insurance coverage, and all applicable Federal health programs--
shall provide full coverage, without cost-sharing, for annual low-dose 
computed tomography (LDCT) or other appropriate lung cancer screening 
technologies for eligible individuals described in section (3).
(b) Prohibited Barriers.--Coverage under this title may not be 
subject to--
(1) prior authorization;
(2) step-therapy or other utilization controls;
(3) frequency limits more restrictive than one screening 
annually; or
(4) documentation requirements beyond those included in 
recent evidence-based clinical guidelines.

SEC. 602. ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS.

An eligible individual is an adult who--
(1) is 50 to 80 years old; and
(2) is determined by a treating health care professional to 
be at increased risk for lung cancer based on personal, 
environmental, or familial risk factors.

SEC. 603. IMPLEMENTATION.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of 
Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the Director of the 
Office of Personnel Management shall issue implementing regulations 
within 180 days of enactment and ensure program-wide compliance.

TITLE VII

SEC. 701. IMPLEMENTATION OF GAO RECOMMENDATIONS.

The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 
the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall take such actions 
as may be necessary to implement the priority recommendations of the 
Comptroller General of the United States contained in the report 
published on November 15, 2022, and titled ``Disaster Recovery: Actions 
Needed to Improve the Federal Approach'' (GAO-23-104956).

TITLE VIII

SEC. 801. UPDATING THE PROCESS FOR PAYING SALARIES OF THE HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES.

Section 116(a) of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2002 
(2 U.S.C. 4551) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The usual day'' and inserting ``(1) 
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the usual day''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) When the House of Representatives next upgrades its payroll 
system, if directed by the Committee on House Administration of the 
House of Representatives, the Chief Administrative Officer may pay 
salaries in or under the House of Representatives twice per month, or 
on the basis of such other schedule, as such Committee may promulgate 
by regulation.''.

TITLE IX

SECTION 901. ADMINISTRATION OF NEXT GENERATION WARNING SYSTEM GRANT 
PROGRAM.

(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency shall take such actions as may be necessary to--
(1) assume responsibility for administering the Next 
Generation Warning System grant program;
(2) not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, disburse all funds made available for fiscal year 
2022 to carry out such program under the heading ``Protection, 
Preparedness, Response, and Recovery--Federal Emergency 
Management Agency--Federal Assistance'' of title III of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Public Law 117-103) that 
are obligated as of the date of enactment of this Act; and
(3) begin the process of awarding grants under the Next 
Generation Warning System grant program with funds made 
available to carry out such program--
(A) for fiscal year 2023 under the heading 
``Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery--
Federal Emergency Management Agency--Federal 
Assistance'' of title III of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328); and
(B) for fiscal year 2024 under the heading 
``Protection, Preparedness, Response, and Recovery--
Federal Emergency Management Agency--Federal 
Assistance'' of title III of the Further Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2024 (Public Law 118-47).
(b) Communications Research and Development.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with 
other relevant Federal agencies and departments, State, local, 
Tribal, and territorial governments, and relevant owners and 
operators of critical infrastructure, as appropriate, shall, to 
the extent practicable, carry out research and development to 
support and improve the--
(A) accessibility of emergency warning systems;
(B) resiliency and security of emergency warning 
systems; and
(C) other matters as the Secretary determines 
appropriate.
(2) Research and development report.--Not later than 2 
years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of 
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report on the 
research and development activities carried out pursuant to 
paragraph (1).
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Next generation warning system grant program defined.--
The term ``Next Generation Warning System grant program'' means 
the grant program authorized pursuant to title III of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Public Law 117-103) 
under the heading ``Protection, Preparedness, Response, and 
Recovery--Federal Emergency Management Agency--Federal 
Assistance''.
(2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
of Homeland Security, acting through the Under Secretary for 
Science and Technology.

TITLE X

SEC. 1001. HEARINGS.

(a) In General.--Each standing committee of the House of 
Representatives shall hold a hearing on the implementation of this Act 
within one year of enactment.
(b) Exercise of Rulemaking Authority.--Subsection (a) is enacted--
(1) as an exercise of rulemaking power of the House of 
Representatives, and, as such, shall be considered as part of 
the rules of the House, and such rules shall supersede any 
other rule of the House only to the extent that rule is 
inconsistent therewith; and
(2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
either House to change such rules (so far as relating to the 
procedure in such House) at any time, in the same manner, and 
to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of the 
House.

TITLE XI

SEC. 1101. CODE OF OFFICIAL CONDUCT.

In rule XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, strike 
clause 18 and insert the following:
``18.(a) A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner may not 
engage in a sexual relationship with any employee of the House who 
works under the supervision of the Member, Delegate, or Resident 
Commissioner, or who is an employee of a committee on which the Member, 
Delegate, or Resident Commissioner serves. This paragraph does not 
apply with respect to any relationship between two people who are 
married to each other.
``(b) A Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, officer, or 
employee of the House may not engage in unwelcome sexual advances or 
conduct towards another Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, 
officer, or employee of the House.
``(c) In this clause, the term `employee' includes an applicant for 
employment, a paid or unpaid intern (including an applicant for an 
internship), a detailee, and an individual participating in a 
fellowship program.''.

TITLE XII

SEC. 1201. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying 
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go-Act of 2010, shall be determined by 
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO 
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional 
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that 
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.

TITLE XIII

SEC. 1301. APPROPRIATIONS.

The following sums are hereby appropriated, out of any money in the 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 2027, and for other purposes, namely:

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

national institute of dental and craniofacial research

For an additional amount for necessary expenses for carrying out 
section 301 and title IV of the Public Health Service Act with respect 
to dental and craniofacial diseases, $1,000,000.

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE

salaries and expenses

For an additional amount for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection 
Service salaries and expenses, $1,000,000.

UNITED STATES TAX COURT

salaries and expenses

For an additional amount for necessary expenses, $1,000,000, to 
remain available until expended.

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE, SPACE FORCE

For an additional amount of expenses, not otherwise provided for, 
necessary for the operations and maintenance of the Space Force, as 
authorized by law, $1,000,000.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

north american wetlands conservation fund

For an additional amount of expenses necessary to carry out the 
provisions of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 
4401 et seq.), $1,000,000, to remain available until expended.

FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION

SAFETY AND OPERATIONS

For an additional amount of expenses necessary of the Federal 
Railroad Administration, $1,000,000.
<all>