Confirmations and More Republican Priority Bills
by Amy West, GovTrack.us, Feb 14, 2025
The situation remains the same this week as last week: the Senate is working through cabinet nominations while the House passes a mixed bag of bills, two of which are part of the initial priority list in the House Rules. Jockeying continues over which approach to budget reconciliation the Republicans will take, but there's been no concrete outcomes yet.
Confirmations
More information on each nominee / confirmed cabinet member from the AP.
Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence confirmed 52-48
Kennedy, Secretary of Health and Human Services confirmed 52-48
Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture confirmed 72-28
Miscellaneous House Bills
H.R. 736: Protect Small Businesses from Excessive Paperwork Act of 2025, which would modify a deadline for a specific report from businesses, passed 408-0.
H.R. 692: China Exchange Rate Transparency Act of 2025, which would require the United States Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund to advocate for increased transparency with respect to exchange rate policies of the People's Republic of China, passed 388-7.
H.R. 77: Midnight Rules Relief Act, which would allow Congress to vote to repeal regulations from the prior administration in groups rather than one at a time, passed 212-208.
Recap of the Republican Priority Bills in the House Rules
Included in the House Rules for this Congress were twelve priority bills for the House Republicans. They've acted on nearly all of them. Here they are in the order they're listed in the rules with their current status. This includes the two passed this week. In summary:
one is now law;
one is probably dead;
three have yet to see any action;
seven await votes in the Senate.
Each bill in order of the Rules:
H.R. 28: Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025 passed the House on Jan. 14; awaiting a vote in the Senate.
H.R. 29: Laken Riley Act enacted via S. 5 and signed into law on Jan. 29.
H.R. 30: Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act passed the House on Jan.16; awaiting a vote in the Senate.
H.R. 31: POLICE Act of 2025, introduced Jan. 3.
H.R. 32: No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act, introduced Jan. 3.
H.R. 35: Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act, which would impose criminal and immigration penalties for intentionally fleeing a pursuing Federal officer while operating a motor vehicle, passed Feb. 13 264-155; awaiting a vote in the Senate..
H.R. 21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act passed the House on Jan. 23; awaiting a vote in the Senate.
H.R. 23: Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act, passed the House on Jan. 9, but failed cloture in the Senate on Jan. 28 and is, for now, dead.
H.R. 33: To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide special rules for the taxation of certain residents of Taiwan with income from sources within the United States, passed the House on Jan. 15; awaiting a vote in the Senate.
H.R. 22: SAVE Act, introduced Jan. 3.
H.R. 27: HALT Fentanyl Act, passed the House on Feb. 6; awaiting a vote in the Senate.
H.R. 26: Protecting American Energy Production Act, which would preclude any bans on fracking, passed on Feb. 7 226-188; awaiting a vote in the Senate.
Hawaii Congressional Delegation
Feb 10, 2025 5:31 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Tulsi Gabbard to be Director of National Intelligence: Tulsi Gabbard, of Hawaii, to be Director of National Intelligence
Cloture Motion Agreed to 52/46
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Feb 10, 2025 6:49 p.m. — Vote
H.R. 692: China Exchange Rate Transparency Act of 2025
Passed 388/7
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Feb 10, 2025 6:56 p.m. — Vote
H.R. 736: Protect Small Businesses from Excessive Paperwork Act of 2025
Passed 408/0
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Feb 11, 2025 1:51 p.m. — Vote
On Ordering the Previous Question: H.Res. 122: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 77) to amend chapter 8 of …
Passed 210/184
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Feb 11, 2025 1:58 p.m. — Vote
H.Res. 122: Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 77) to amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for en bloc consideration in resolutions of disapproval for “midnight rules”, and for other purposes.
Passed 216/205
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: No
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: No
Feb 12, 2025 11:13 a.m. — Vote
On the Nomination PN11-16: Tulsi Gabbard, of Hawaii, to be Director of National Intelligence
Nomination Confirmed 52/48
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Feb 12, 2025 11:50 a.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to be Secretary of Health and Human Services: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., of California, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services
Cloture Motion Agreed to 53/47
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Feb 12, 2025 4:52 p.m. — Vote
On Motion to Recommit: H.R. 77: Midnight Rules Relief Act
Failed 205/213
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Yea
Feb 12, 2025 5 p.m. — Vote
H.R. 77: Midnight Rules Relief Act
Passed 212/208
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Nay
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Feb 13, 2025 — Introduced
H.Res. 136: Expressing support for the designation of February 2025 as “Hawaiian Language Month” or “’Olelo Hawai’i Month”.
Sponsor: Rep. Jill Tokuda [D-HI2]
This resolution was referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce which will consider it before sending it to the House floor for consideration.
1 cosponsor is on that committee.
Feb 13, 2025 — Introduced
S. 590: A bill to require the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere to maintain the National Mesonet Program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI]
This bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation which will consider it before sending it to the Senate floor for consideration.
Sen. Brian Schatz [D-HI] is a member of the committee.
Feb 13, 2025 10:39 a.m. — Vote
On the Nomination PN11-8: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., of California, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services
Nomination Confirmed 52/48
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Feb 13, 2025 10:45 a.m. — Vote
H.R. 35: Agent Raul Gonzalez Officer Safety Act
Passed 264/155
Rep. Case [D-HI1]: Yea
Rep. Tokuda [D-HI2]: Nay
Feb 13, 2025 11:30 a.m. — Vote
On the Nomination PN11-12: Brooke Rollins, of Texas, to be Secretary of Agriculture
Nomination Confirmed 72/28
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Feb 13, 2025 1:31 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Howard Lutnick to be Secretary of Commerce: Howard Lutnick, of New York, to be Secretary of Commerce
Cloture Motion Agreed to 52/45
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay
Feb 13, 2025 2:10 p.m. — Vote
Motion to Invoke Cloture: Kelly Loeffler to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration: Kelly Loeffler, of Georgia, to be Administrator of the Small Business Administration
Cloture Motion Agreed to 51/43
Sen. Hirono [D-HI]: Nay
Sen. Schatz [D-HI]: Nay