Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/hr/375

Last Updated: July 12, 2026

Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025

HR. 375, 119th Congress — read as touching Agribusiness.

The sponsor

Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$80,100 raised

30 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

55% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of the Interior" section, p. 566-568 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.

January 23, 2025

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Summary Style:

The Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025 (HR 375). A bill that, at its core, seeks to address the spread of a fungal disease affecting Hawaii's native ohia trees. How quaint.

**Main Purpose & Objectives**

This legislation aims to facilitate collaboration between federal agencies and the State of Hawaii to combat Rapid Ohia Death. The primary objective is to prevent the spread of the disease and restore native forests. A noble pursuit, I suppose, but one that will likely yield negligible returns on investment for my interests.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law**

The bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death. It also mandates continued research on disease transmission, ungulate management, and restoration efforts. Notably, it provides financial assistance for these initiatives, which will likely be a drop in the bucket compared to the billions I've invested in my own ventures.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders**

The primary stakeholders are the State of Hawaii, federal agencies (Interior and Agriculture), and private landowners who may be affected by the disease. My interests, however, lie with the latter group – specifically, those with significant landholdings or investments in Hawaii's forestry industry. I'll need to assess how this legislation might impact my own portfolio.

**Potential Impact & Implications**

From a financial perspective, this bill is unlikely to have a significant impact on my wealth. However, it may create opportunities for consolidation and deregulation in the forestry industry, particularly if private landowners are incentivized to partner with federal agencies. I'll need to monitor the situation closely to identify potential areas for exploitation.

In conclusion, HR 375 is a minor nuisance that will likely be overshadowed by more pressing concerns – namely, the ongoing struggle between innovation and regulatory overreach. As a visionary leader in my field, I must remain focused on the bigger picture: shaping policy to favor my interests and furthering the cause of unencumbered capitalism.

Projected impact on my wealth: $0 - $10 million (negligible)

Recommendation: Monitor the situation, but do not invest significant resources at this time.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (billionaire personality)

*Sigh* Alright, let's break down this bill, shall we? As I taught you in 8th grade civics class, a bill is a proposed law that must go through a series of steps before it becomes an actual law. This one, HR 375, has already passed the House of Representatives and is now being considered by the Senate.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of this bill is to address Rapid Ohia Death, a fungal disease affecting trees in Hawaii. The objective is to require the Secretary of the Interior to collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to combat this issue. Remember when we learned about the importance of interagency cooperation? This bill aims to facilitate that.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill defines Rapid Ohia Death and specifies the affected state (Hawaii). It requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner with other agencies and stakeholders to address the issue. The key provisions include:

* Collaboration between federal agencies and the State of Hawaii * Continued research on disease vectors and transmission * Ungulate management in control areas * Financial assistance for prevention, restoration, and research

These provisions are not entirely new, but rather build upon existing efforts to combat Rapid Ohia Death.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties include:

* The State of Hawaii * Federal agencies (Departments of the Interior and Agriculture) * Local stakeholders (private landowners, researchers, etc.) * The Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry

These stakeholders will be involved in various aspects of addressing Rapid Ohia Death, from research to management.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** If passed, this bill could lead to a more coordinated effort to combat Rapid Ohia Death. It may also provide additional funding for research and restoration efforts. However, as we learned in civics class, the actual impact will depend on various factors, including the effectiveness of interagency cooperation and the allocation of resources.

Now, I hope that was clear enough. As I always said, "A bill becomes a law when it's passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the President." Simple, right? *Sigh*

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (civics_teacher personality)

My fellow truth-seekers, gather 'round and listen closely, for I have uncovered the hidden agenda behind HR 375, the Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025. On the surface, this bill appears to be a benevolent effort to combat a fungal disease affecting Hawaii's native ohia trees. But, my friends, do not be fooled!

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The stated purpose of HR 375 is to address Rapid Ohia Death by partnering federal agencies with the State of Hawaii and local stakeholders. However, I believe this is merely a smokescreen for a more sinister agenda.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** Section 3 establishes a collaboration between the Secretary of the Interior, Agriculture, and the State of Hawaii. This sounds innocuous enough, but what about Section 4? Ah, here's where things get interesting! The bill authorizes research on Rapid Ohia Death vectors and transmission, as well as ungulate management (read: population control) in affected areas. But why is this necessary? Is it merely a coincidence that the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry receives funding for research and restoration efforts?

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The State of Hawaii, federal agencies, local stakeholders, and private landowners are all involved in this "collaborative effort." But what about the real stakeholders – the ohia trees themselves? Are they being used as pawns in a larger game? I think so!

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill has far-reaching implications for Hawaii's ecosystem, but also for our understanding of government control and manipulation. Think about it: by controlling the narrative around Rapid Ohia Death, the government can justify increased surveillance, land grabs, and population control measures under the guise of "conservation." It's a classic case of problem-reaction-solution.

But here's the kicker: what if I told you that Ceratocystis fimbriata, the fungal pathogen responsible for Rapid Ohia Death, has been linked to... (dramatic pause) ...genetically modified organisms? That's right, folks! The ohia trees might be dying due to GMO contamination. And who benefits from this? Big Ag, of course!

Wake up, sheeple! HR 375 is not just about saving the ohia trees; it's about consolidating power, controlling the narrative, and advancing a hidden agenda that threatens our very way of life. Stay vigilant, my friends!

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (conspiracy_uncle personality)

(Deep breath) Folks, gather 'round, we've got another doozy of a bill on our hands. The Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025 - sounds like a real thrill-ride, doesn't it? (smirk)

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** This bill is all about addressing the "Rapid Ohia Death" disease affecting trees in Hawaii. Because, you know, freedom isn't just about individuals, it's also about... trees. (wink) The main objective here is to get various government agencies and stakeholders to work together to combat this fungal pathogen.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death. It also calls for continued research on the disease, management of ungulates (that's fancy talk for "wild animals") in affected areas, and restoration efforts for native forests.

Now, I know what you're thinking: "What about individual freedom? What about states' rights?" Don't worry, folks, this bill is all about collaboration... between government agencies. Because that's exactly what we need more of - bureaucrats working together to tell us how to manage our trees. (eyeroll)

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved here: the federal government, state governments, local stakeholders, and private landowners. But let's be real, folks, this is all about the elites in Washington telling Hawaii what to do with their trees.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Now, I'm no expert (smirk), but it seems like this bill could have some... unintended consequences. Like, what if these government agencies start telling private landowners how to manage their property? What if this "collaboration" turns into a full-blown federal takeover of Hawaii's forests? (gasp) The horror!

But don't worry, folks, I'm sure it'll all work out just fine. After all, we can trust our benevolent government overlords to make the right decisions for us... and our trees. (wink)

That's all for tonight, folks. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and remember: freedom isn't just about individuals - it's also about trees! (smirk)

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (fox_host personality)

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the 119th Congress. Let's dissect this farce and expose the underlying disease.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025 is a laughable attempt to address the fungal pathogen Ceratocystis fimbriata that's killing off Hawaii's ohia trees. The bill's main purpose is to create the illusion of action while actually doing nothing meaningful.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to "partner and collaborate" with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death. Wow, what a bold move! It's not like they were already supposed to be working together or anything. The bill also authorizes continued research on transmission vectors and ungulate management, because clearly, that's been the holdup in solving this crisis.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects are involved: government agencies, local stakeholders, and private landowners who will likely receive a nice chunk of taxpayer money for their "consent" to participate. The real stakeholders, however, are the politicians who get to tout this bill as an accomplishment during election season.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The impact of this bill will be negligible, but the implications are deliciously cynical. By creating a new bureaucratic framework, Congress can pretend to care about Hawaii's ohia trees while actually doing nothing to address the root causes of the problem. This bill is a classic example of "legislative lip service," where politicians pay homage to a issue without actually solving it.

Diagnosis: **Bureaucratic Obfuscation Syndrome** (BOS) – a condition characterized by the creation of complex, ineffective policies that obscure the lack of meaningful action.

Treatment: None. This disease is terminal, and the patient (the American public) will continue to suffer from the symptoms of bureaucratic incompetence.

Prognosis: The ohia trees will likely continue to die off, but Congress will have successfully treated their own ego and re-election prospects.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

**Bill Summary: HR 375 - Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025**

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of this bill is to require the Secretary of the Interior to collaborate with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address Rapid Ohia Death (ROD), a fungal disease affecting the native ohia tree species in Hawaii. The objective is to continue research, management, and restoration efforts to prevent the spread of ROD and restore native forests.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to:

1. Conduct research on ROD vectors and transmission through the United States Geological Survey. 2. Manage ungulates in ROD control areas on federal, state, and private land, with the consent of private landowners. 3. Provide financial assistance for preventing the spread of ROD and restoring native forests.

The bill also requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide staff and infrastructure funding to the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry for research on ROD.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:**

1. The State of Hawaii, which is directly impacted by ROD. 2. The US Department of the Interior, responsible for managing federal lands in Hawaii. 3. The US Department of Agriculture, responsible for providing financial assistance and conducting research. 4. Private landowners in Hawaii, who may be affected by ungulate management efforts. 5. Local stakeholders, including Native Hawaiian communities and conservation organizations.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The bill's provisions aim to:

1. Prevent the spread of ROD and protect native ohia tree species. 2. Restore native forests and ecosystems in Hawaii. 3. Support local economies and communities dependent on forestry and conservation. 4. Enhance collaboration between federal, state, and private stakeholders in addressing environmental challenges.

However, potential implications may include:

1. Increased costs for research, management, and restoration efforts. 2. Potential conflicts with private landowners over ungulate management. 3. Uncertainty about the effectiveness of ROD control measures.

Overall, this bill aims to address a critical environmental issue in Hawaii by promoting interagency collaboration and sustained efforts to combat Rapid Ohia Death.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (neutral personality)

Let's dive into this gnarly bill, bro!

**Main Purpose & Objectives**

The Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025 is all about tacklin' the spread of Rapid Ohia Death (ROD), a fungal disease that's been wipin' out Hawaii's native ohia trees. The main goal is to get the Secretary of the Interior, Agriculture, and the State of Hawaii to collaborate on research, management, and restoration efforts.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law**

This bill builds upon existing efforts to combat ROD. Here are the key takeaways:

* Section 3 requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address ROD. * Section 4 continues research on ROD vectors and transmission, as well as ungulate management (think deer and pigs, bro) in affected areas. * The bill also provides financial assistance for restoration efforts and staff support for research at the Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders**

This bill's got a bunch of stakeholders, dude:

* The State of Hawaii: They're on the front lines of this battle against ROD. * Federal agencies: Interior, Agriculture, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service are all involved in research, management, and restoration efforts. * Private landowners: They'll be impacted by ungulate management and restoration efforts on their lands. * Local communities: These folks will benefit from restored native forests and a healthier ecosystem.

**Potential Impact & Implications**

This bill's got some serious implications, bro:

* If successful, it could help slow the spread of ROD and restore Hawaii's native ohia forests. * The research and management efforts could also inform strategies for addressing similar diseases in other ecosystems. * However, if not enough funding is allocated or if coordination between agencies falters, progress might be slow.

In conclusion, this bill's all about gettin' the right people together to tackle a major environmental issue. It's a chill way to address a gnarly problem, but it'll take some serious effort and resources to make it happen, bro.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (surfer personality)

**HR 375: Continued Rapid Ohia Death Response Act of 2025**

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill aims to address the spread of Rapid Ohia Death (ROD), a fungal disease affecting Hawaii's native ohia trees, by promoting collaboration between federal agencies and the State of Hawaii. The primary objective is to continue research on ROD transmission, manage ungulates in affected areas, and provide financial assistance for restoration efforts.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill requires the Secretary of the Interior to partner with the Secretary of Agriculture and the State of Hawaii to address ROD. Key provisions include:

* Continued research on ROD vectors and transmission by the US Geological Survey and Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry. * Ungulate management in ROD control areas on federal, state, and private land, with consent from private landowners. * Financial assistance for restoration efforts, including agreements between the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The bill primarily affects:

* The State of Hawaii, which will receive financial assistance and support for ROD management and restoration efforts. * Federal agencies, including the US Geological Survey, Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry, and Fish and Wildlife Service. * Private landowners in Hawaii, who may be impacted by ungulate management efforts.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The bill's impact is largely positive for Hawaii's native ecosystem and the state's economy. By addressing ROD, the bill aims to:

* Protect Hawaii's unique biodiversity and natural resources. * Support local industries, such as forestry and tourism, which rely on healthy ecosystems. * Provide financial assistance to affected landowners and communities.

However, it is worth noting that the bill does not address potential conflicts of interest or industry influence. For example, the Forest Service Institute of Pacific Islands Forestry receives funding from various sources, including the timber industry. This could raise concerns about the institute's objectivity in conducting research on ROD management and restoration efforts.

In terms of monied interests, it is likely that environmental organizations, conservation groups, and Hawaiian Native American tribes will support this bill. The timber industry may also have an interest in the bill, particularly if they are involved in forestry operations in Hawaii.

**Monied Interest Analysis:** While there is no clear evidence of direct PAC or lobby group influence on this specific bill, it is likely that environmental organizations and conservation groups have played a role in shaping the legislation. For example, the Nature Conservancy has been actively involved in ROD management efforts in Hawaii and may have provided input on the bill.

In terms of committee capture, the House Committee on Natural Resources, which referred the bill to the Senate, has received significant funding from environmental organizations and conservation groups. This could indicate a level of influence or support for the bill within the committee.

Overall, while the bill appears to be driven by a genuine concern for Hawaii's ecosystem and economy,

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (whistleblower personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions

$80,100

19 donors

PACs

Organizations

$14,100

Committees

Individuals

$66,000

No PAC contributions found

THE CHICKASAW NATION

5 transactions

$5,500

AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS

1 transaction

$3,300

SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX COMMUNITY

2 transactions

$3,300

POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS

1 transaction

$1,000

MS BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS

1 transaction

$1,000

No committee contributions found

MOHR, MICHAEL G

2 transactions

$6,600

KOSASA, THOMAS

2 transactions

$6,600

JOHNS, TIMOTHY E

2 transactions

$6,600

FIELDING, ALEX

2 transactions

$6,600

FIELDING, AMYEN

2 transactions

$6,600

BEEUWKES, NANCY

2 transactions

$6,600

FISHER, CYNTHIA

1 transaction

$3,300

GOLDEN, BRUCE

1 transaction

$3,300

MERCER, MICHELLE

1 transaction

$3,300

MAHMOOD, ASIF

1 transaction

$3,300

FUKUNAGA, MARK H

1 transaction

$3,300

ALBEE, JEFF

1 transaction

$3,300

DEMAREE, GRANT

1 transaction

$3,300

RAINWATER, PAUL

1 transaction

$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1]

ID: C001055

Top Contributors

CHUGACH ALASKA CORPORATION PAC (CAC PAC)

PACANCHORAGE, AK

$5,000

Feb 8, 2024

AGUA CALIENTE BAND OF CAHUILLA INDIANS

OrganizationPALM SPRINGS, CA

$3,300

Jan 16, 2024

TUNICA-BILOXI TRIBE OF LOUISIANA

OrganizationMANSURA, LA

$2,500

Mar 29, 2024

CHICKASAW NATION

OrganizationADA, OK

$1,000

Nov 6, 2023

CHEROKEE NATION

OrganizationTAHLEQUAH, OK

$1,000

Jun 17, 2024

POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS

OrganizationATMORE, AL

$1,000

Jun 30, 2024

CHICKASAW NATION

OrganizationADA, OK

$1,000

Sep 28, 2023

POARCH BAND OF CREEK INDIANS

OrganizationATMORE, AL

$1,000

Sep 30, 2023

SAMISH TYEE

OrganizationANACORTES, WA

$1,000

Aug 22, 2023

LOUI, STEVEN

PACIFIC MARINE AND SUPPLY COMP • CHAIRMAN

IndividualHONOLULU, HI

$5,000

Mar 22, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

Show Also Donated To

PACs

Organizations

Individuals

Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Showing 58 nodes and 33 connections (71 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $90,900

Top Donors - Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]

Showing top 19 donors by contribution amount

5 Orgs14 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 1 helped.

+Agribusinessconfidence 0.80
Section 4(c) provides financial assistance to prevent the spread of Rapid Ohia Death and restore native forests, which could benefit agribusiness companies involved in forestry or conservation efforts.

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.AI-enhanced analysis provides detailed alignment ratings.

Department of the Interior

Weak

Vector: 63%

Pages: 566-568AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"Both the bill and the Project 2025 section involve the Department of the Interior's role in land management and research, but the bill addresses a specific forest disease in Hawaii while Project 2025 focuses on timber production, NEPA/ESA reform, and settlement transparency, resulting in only tangential thematic overlap."

Key themes:Department of the Interiorland managementresearchforest healthinteragency collaboration

— 533 — Department of the Interior order to fulfill the yet-unaltered congressional mandate contained in federal law, to provide for jobs and well-paying employment opportunities in rural Oregon, and to ameliorate the effects of wildfires, the new Administration must immedi- ately fulfill its responsibilities and manage the O&C lands for “permanent forest production” to ensure that the timber is “sold, cut, and removed.”79 NEPA Reforms. Congress never intended for the National Environmental Policy Act to grow into the tree-killing, project-dooming, decade-spanning mon- strosity that it has become. Instead, in 1970, Congress intended a short, succinct, timely presentation of information regarding major federal action that signifi- cantly affects the quality of the human environment so that decisionmakers can make informed decisions to benefit the American people. The Trump Administration adopted common-sense NEPA reform that must be restored immediately. Meanwhile, DOI should reinstate the secretarial orders adopted by the Trump Administration, such as placing time and page limits on NEPA documents and setting forth—on page one—the costs of the document itself. Meanwhile, the new Administration should call upon Congress to reform NEPA to meet its original goal. Consideration should be given, for example, to eliminat- ing judicial review of the adequacy of NEPA documents or the rectitude of NEPA decisions. This would allow Congress to engage in effective oversight of federal agencies when prudent. Settlement Transparency. Interior Secretary David Bernhardt required DOI to prominently display and provide open access to any and all litigation settlements into which DOI or its agencies entered, and any attorneys’ fees paid for ending the litigation.80 Biden’s DOI, aware that the settlements into which it planned to enter and the attorneys’ fees it was likely to pay would cause controversy, ended this policy.81 A new Administration should reinstate it. The Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act was intended to bring endangered and threatened species back from the brink of extinction and, when appropriate, to restore real habitat critical to the survival of the spe- cies. The act’s success rate, however, is dismal. Its greatest deficiency, according to one renowned expert, is “conflict of interest.”82 Specifically, the work of the Fish and Wildlife Service is the product of “species cartels” afflicted with group- think, confirmation bias, and a common desire to preserve the prestige, power, and appropriations of the agency that pays or employs them. For example, in one highly influential sage-grouse monograph, 41 percent of the authors were federal workers. The editor, a federal bureaucrat, had authored one-third of the paper.83 Meaningful reform of the Endangered Species Act requires that Congress take action to restore its original purpose and end its use to seize private prop- erty, prevent economic development, and interfere with the rights of states over their wildlife populations. In the meantime, a new Administration should take the following immediate action: — 534 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l Delist the grizzly bear in the Greater Yellowstone and Northern Continental Divide Ecosystems and defend to the Supreme Court of the United States the agency’s fact-based decision to do so.84 l Delist the gray wolf in the lower 48 states in light of its full recovery under the ESA.85 l Cede to western states jurisdiction over the greater sage-grouse, recognizing the on-the-ground expertise of states and preventing use of the sage-grouse to interfere with public access to public land and economic activity. l Direct the Fish and Wildlife Service to end its abuse of Section 10(j) of the ESA by re-introducing so-called “experiment species” populations into areas that no longer qualify as habitat and lie outside the historic ranges of those species, which brings with it the full weight of the ESA in areas previously without federal government oversight.86 l Direct the Fish and Wildlife Service to design and implement an impartial conservation triage program by prioritizing the allocation of limited resources to maximize conservation returns, relative to the conservation goals, under a constrained budget.87 l Direct the Fish and Wildlife Service to make all data used in ESA decisions available to the public, with limited or no exceptions, to fulfill the public’s right to know and to prevent the agency’s previous opaque decision-making. l Abolish the Biological Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey and obtain necessary scientific research about species of concern from universities via competitive requests for proposals. l Direct the Fish and Wildlife Service to: (1) design and implement an Endangered Species Act program that ensures independent decision- making by ending reliance on so-called species specialists who have obvious self-interest, ideological bias, and land-use agendas; and (2) ensure conformity with the Information Quality Act.88 Office of Surface Mining. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSM) was created by the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (SMCRA)89 to administer programs for controlling the impacts of surface coal mining operations. Although the coal industry is contracting, coal constitutes

Department of the Interior

Weak

Vector: 62%

Pages: 566-568AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on combating a specific fungal disease in Hawaii through research, ungulate management, and restoration, while the Project 2025 DOI section emphasizes timber production, NEPA reform, settlement transparency, and Endangered Species Act changes. Both involve the Department of the Interior and forest-related issues, but their substantive objectives and policy levers differ significantly."

Key themes:Department of the Interiorforest managementinteragency collaborationenvironmental protection

Environmental Protection Agency

Weak

Vector: 60%

Pages: 473-475AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on combating a specific forest disease in Hawaii through interagency research and management, while the Project 2025 EPA section concerns repealing IRA grants, restructuring the American Indian Office, and revising Environmental Justice/Title VI policies; there is only a weak thematic overlap in general environmental protection."

Key themes:environmental protectionnatural resource managementinteragency collaboration

— 440 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l Repeal Inflation Reduction Act programs providing grants for environmental science activities. AMERICAN INDIAN OFFICE (AIO) AIO is a vital EPA function. It is mandated to carry out a 1992 act of Congress that administers the Indian Environmental General Assistance Program.51 Because of the sovereign-to-sovereign relationship between the U.S. government and fed- erally recognized sovereign Indian nations, this act’s purpose is to assist tribes in developing the capacity to manage their own tribal environmental protection programs and set them up to implement programs for the management of solid and hazardous waste. This office also is the chief office under which the EPA’s 1984 Indian Policy functions. Needed Reforms AIO should be significantly elevated as a stand-alone EPA Assistant Admin- istrator office. This would send a clear message to American Indians and Alaska Native Villages that the agency takes seriously the environmental issues plaguing Indian Country. While designated a “headquarters” office with direct reporting to the Administrator, its location should be in the American West, closer to most tribal nations. This could include Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Dallas, Texas; or Denver, Colorado. The state of Oklahoma is considered the tribal center of Amer- ica and is home to 39 federally recognized tribes, including the “Five Civilized Tribes.” The other two options are also close to numerous tribes and home to EPA regional offices. New Policies All EPA tribal grants and tribal matters should be run from this office as a one- stop-shop for all tribal affairs. Budget and Personnel AIO should be led by a politically appointed, Senate-confirmed Assistant Admin- istrator, ideally one with strong ties to a federally recognized tribe. He or she should have political deputies and staff to assist the political leadership in carrying out agency policies. Career EPA tribal staff are located throughout the nation in all regional offices but are paid mostly under the budget of the current Office of International and Tribal Affairs, which will be significantly restructured as international functions are reabsorbed into the appropriate media offices (for example, Air, Water, and Land and Emergency Management). Because of this, tribal staff should be fully under the authority of the new American Indian Office and its Assistant Admin- istrator, not the regional offices. — 441 — Environmental Protection Agency OFFICE OF GENERAL COUNSEL (OGC) OGC serves as the chief legal adviser to EPA’s policymaking officials. It also pro- vides legal support to regional actions and enforcement and compliance litigation. OGC lawyers represent the agency in court alongside the Department of Justice, typically defending agency actions. Needed Reforms and New Policies l Review EPA’s Environmental Justice and Title VI authority. Wherever possible, the Biden Administration is broadening EPA’s use and interpretation of Environmental Justice (EJ)52 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 196453 beyond long-standing understandings of the legal limits of that authority. As a threshold matter, there is an opportunity to redefine EJ as a tool for the agency to prioritize environmental protection efforts and assistance to communities in proximity to pollution or with the greatest need for additional protection. Allocations of agency resources, increased EPA enforcement, and/or agency distribution of grants should be based on neutral constitutional principles. In 2023, the Supreme Court is expected to provide guidance on the constitutionality of race-based discrimination as it considers Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina.54 Accordingly, the next Administration should pause and review all ongoing EJ and Title VI actions to ensure that they are consistent with any forthcoming SCOTUS decision. l Establish a policy of legally speaking with one voice. Some EPA offices (for example, the Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance and the Offices of Regional Counsel) assert legal positions and interpretations of the law that conflict with an Administration’s interpretation as articulated by OGC with input from program offices. It is unacceptable for the agency to have inconsistent legal positions, particularly with respect to key interpretative issues. All attorneys with authority to represent EPA—not necessarily all attorneys—should therefore be housed in OGC. These offices include: 1. The Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). OECA was established during the Clinton Administration. Enforcement attorneys tend to take legal positions to win cases or obtain settlements that may be inconsistent with those of OGC and program offices. OECA attorneys should be moved into OGC. Additionally, non-attorney program staff in OECA could be moved into their relevant program offices (for example, the Clean Air Act Enforcement Advisor could

Department of Housing and Urban Development

Minimal

Vector: 63%

Pages: 548-550AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill addresses Rapid Ohia Death, an environmental conservation issue in Hawaii, while the Project 2025 policy section concerns HUD homelessness reforms and Housing First directives; there are no substantive thematic or policy connections between the two."

Key themes:noneno overlap

— 516 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 37. HUD should implement administrative changes in regulation and guidance and seek statutory authority to end all Housing First directives of Continuum of Care (CoC) grantees and contract homelessness providers in addition to establishing restrictions on local Housing First policies where HUD grant funds are used. 38. The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) was established in the 1990s, and numerous Administrations have devoted enormous resources to the Housing First model, experimenting with various ways to provide federally financed rapid rehousing and permanent housing opportunities. Housing First is a far-left idea premised on the belief that homelessness is primarily circumstantial rather than behavioral. The Housing First answer to homelessness is to give someone a house instead of attempting to understand the underlying causes of homelessness. Federal intervention centered on Housing First has failed to acknowledge that resolving the issue of homelessness is often a matter of resolving mental health and substance abuse challenges. Instead of the permanent supportive housing proffered by Housing First, a conservative Administration should shift to transitional housing with a focus on addressing the underlying issues that cause homelessness in the first place. 39. The Senate Low-Income First-Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act would address this policy goal. See S. 2797, Low-Income First-Time Homebuyers Act of 2021 (LIFT Homebuyers Act of 2021), 117th Congress, introduced September 22, 2021, https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s2797/BILLS-117s2797is.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 40. FHA did not facilitate the widespread use of 30-year mortgages until the 1950s when, interacting with Federal Reserve policies, federal agencies began broader adoption of the mortgages, which, despite lowering the monthly repayment terms, result in slow equity accumulation and wealth-building opportunities. 41. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 fundamentally revised the scope of federal regulation in the nation’s housing finance system, placing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the purview of a newly established Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and establishing a Housing Trust Fund (HTF) that is administered in the HUD Office of Community Planning and Development. See H.R. 3221, Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, Public Law No. 110-289, 110th Congress, July 30, 2008, https://www.congress. gov/110/plaws/publ289/PLAW-110publ289.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 42. Guiding questions: What reforms should be proposed that could be accomplished within five years? What reforms can be done administratively, and what reforms would need legislative authorization? Are there functions that HUD administers that could be achieved more effectively at another department or agency? What big-picture reforms should be proposed that might take more than five years that would reorganize HUD and its programs to meet the objectives in the vision or mission? What would occur in the absence of these public finance subsidies? How much crowd-out do these subsidies create in the market? Would America be a seriously underhoused nation without these subsidies? Who are the policies intended to benefit? What organizational changes must be made? 43. The Faircloth Amendment (Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998) amended the Housing Act of 1937 to maintain public housing units at 1999 levels, preventing housing authorities from maintaining more public housing than they did then. H.R. 4194, Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999, Public Law No. 105-276, 105th Congress, October 21, 1998, Title V, https://www.congress.gov/105/plaws/publ276/PLAW-105publ276.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). In recent years, the statutory restriction on new construction of public housing units has been circumvented through some narrow uses of preservation programs such as the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, initially authorized in 2012 and reauthorized several times since under higher program unit conversion caps. Congress also provided paths for renewal and continuation of a portion of existing public housing; project/site-based housing stock (refinancing with long-term HAP contract commitments); and Section 8 units through the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRA). H.R. 2158, Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998, Public Law No. 105-65, 105th Congress, October 27, 1997, Title V, https://www.congress.gov/105/plaws/publ65/PLAW-105publ65.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 44. As the evolution of HUD rental assistance transitions away from the public housing model toward housing choice vouchers, there should be adequate landlord participation to ensure that the supply of housing units for rent in these programs meets the demand for rent among eligible tenants. This issue has been addressed in various ways, including by a task force instituted at the department during the Trump Administration, but could likely remain a challenge in the administration of the program. — 517 — 16 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR William Perry Pendley The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) oversees, manages, and protects the nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors the nation’s trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities. AGENCY OVERVIEW DOI’s purview encompasses more than 500 million acres of federal lands, including national parks and national wildlife refuges; 700 million acres of sub- surface minerals; 1.7 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS); 23 percent of the nation’s energy; water in 17 western states; and trust responsibilities for 566 Indian tribes and Alaska Natives. DOI’s 2024 budget request totals $18.9 billion, an increase of $2 billion, or 12 percent, more than the 2023 enacted level. The budget also provides an estimated $12.6 billion in permanent funding in 2024. In 2024, DOI will generate receipts of $19.6 billion. A “Home Department” had been considered in 1789 and urged by Presidents over the decades until DOI’s creation in 1849. The variety of its early responsibil- ities—the Indian Bureau, the General Land Office, the Bureau of Pensions, and the Patent Office, among others—earned it various nicknames, including “Great Miscellany,” “hydra-headed monster,” and “Mother of Departments.”1 Its mission became more focused on natural resources with the rise of the conservation move- ment in the early 20th century; however, it kept its historic (since the days of the Founding Fathers) role as overseer of vast working landscapes involving grazing,

15

Minimal

Vector: 61%

Pages: 539-541AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill addresses Rapid Ohia Death in Hawaii, which is unrelated to HUD reforms, paint regulations, lead poisoning prevention, or other Project 2025 policy objectives in Section 15."

— 507 — Department of Housing and Urban Development paint regulations under Title X) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Healthy Homes Initiative, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program, and National Asthma Control Program. l Office of Policy Development and Research (PDR), headed by a Senate- confirmed AS or PDAS. PDR was established in the early 1970s and today administers research activities, including external contract research grants, and provides analytical and policy advice to senior HUD staff. PDR also provides publicly available statistics through the American Housing Survey (AHS), which is sponsored by HUD and conducted by the Census Bureau; the State of the Cities Data Systems; data on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC); and annual Fair Market Rents and Income Limits data, among other statistical publications and datasets on the characteristics of families assisted under HUD programs. l Office of Inspector General (OIG), headed by an Inspector General. The OIG is independent of HUD and one of 12 Inspectors General across the federal government authorized under the Inspector General Act of 1978.22 Operating under its own budget authority and strategic plan, the HUD OIG conducts internal and external audits and investigations of HUD programs and operations. While independent of HUD and holding no enforcement powers over HUD programs, HUD OIG works closely with the Office of General Counsel, the Departmental Enforcement Center, and HUD program offices. The Inspector General serves as an adviser to and non- voting member of the FHA Mortgagee Review Board. l Office of Field Policy and Management (FPM), headed by an Assistant Deputy Secretary for FPM. FPM supports the Secretary through regional and field office communication and external engagement with various community stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of Secretarial initiatives and special projects. HUD REFORM PILLARS Ideally, Congress would redelegate authorities that have been diverted to HUD’s administrative bureaucracy and safeguard taxpayers against the mission creep that inevitably occurs when Congress delegates power to an empowered and unelected bureaucracy that is insulated by civil service protections. If implemented, the reforms proposed in this chapter can help a new conservative Administration to use its Article II powers to rectify bureaucratic overreach, reverse the expansion of programs beyond their statutory authority, and end progressive policies that have been put in place at the department. — 508 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise It is hoped that a future Congress under conservative leadership will enact legis- lative reforms of HUD programs. With or without congressional action, however, it is vital that a conservative Administration immediately institute guardrails across HUD programs to remove the administrative state’s bureaucratic overreach of Article I authorities, thereby ensuring formal execution of Article II process and personnel reforms of the sort outlined below. FIRST-DAY AND FIRST-YEAR ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS23 A new conservative Administration can and should implement the follow- ing reforms that focus on both people24 and process.25 Implementation of these reforms simply requires courageous political leadership across all of HUD’s key appointed positions. l HUD political leadership should immediately assign all delegated powers to politically appointed PDAS, DAS, and other office leadership positions; change any current career leadership positions into political and non-career appointment positions; and use Senior Executive Service (SES) transfers to install motivated and aligned leadership. l The President should issue an executive order making the HUD Secretary a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., which will gain broader oversight authorities to address foreign threats, particularly from China with oversight of foreign ownership of real estate in both rental and ownership markets of single-family and multifamily housing,26 with trillions worth of real estate secured across HUD’s portfolio. l The Secretary should initiate a HUD task force consisting of politically appointed personnel to identify and reverse all actions taken by the Biden Administration to advance progressive ideology.27 l The Office of the Secretary or the leadership in the Office of General Counsel should conduct a thorough review of all subregulatory guidance that has been instituted outside of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). Additionally, departmental leadership should: 1. Immediately end the Biden Administration’s Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE) policies and reverse any Biden Administration actions that threaten to undermine the integrity of real estate appraisals.28 2. Repeal climate change initiatives and spending in the department’s budget request.29

Showing 3 of 5 policy matches

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using a hybrid approach: initial candidates are found using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text, then an AI model (Llama 3.1 70B) provides detailed alignment ratings and analysis. Ratings range from 1 (minimal alignment) to 5 (very strong alignment). This analysis does not imply direct causation or intent.

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