Norma J. Torres

Designating May 2026 as "National Wildfire Preparedness Month".

The proposal would officially recognize May 2026 as "National Wildfire Preparedness Month" to raise awareness about wildfire safety and prevention. This designation would encourage communities, government agencies, and individuals across the country to focus on preparing for and reducing wildfire risks during that month. The measure affects everyone living in or near wildfire-prone areas, as well as emergency responders and organizations working on fire prevention.

Expressing support for the recognition of May 3 through May 9, 2026, as Wildfire Preparedness Week, the national event educating the public on fire safety and preparedness, and supporting the goals of a Wildfire Preparedness Week.

The proposal designates May 3-9, 2026, as Wildfire Preparedness Week to raise public awareness about fire safety and how people can prepare for wildfires. This recognition aims to educate communities, homeowners, and businesses about steps they can take to protect themselves and their properties from wildfire dangers. The measure has been sent to the House Committee on Natural Resources for consideration.

National Parent and Youth Helpline Act

This bill would establish a national helpline that parents and young people can call to get support and information about health and wellness issues. The helpline would provide counseling, resources, and referrals to help families navigate challenges related to mental health, substance abuse, and other youth health concerns. The program would be funded federally and made available to anyone who needs it, regardless of their ability to pay.

Native American Seeds Act of 2025

The legislation would support Native American tribes in preserving, growing, and selling traditional seeds that are culturally and historically important to their communities. It likely provides funding, resources, or legal protections to help tribes maintain seed varieties that have been used for generations and develop agricultural businesses around these crops. The bill affects Native American communities, farmers, and agricultural programs that work with indigenous peoples.

Supporting Blue Envelope Programs Act

The bill would support "Blue Envelope" programs that help law enforcement officers and their families access mental health services and crisis support. These programs aim to reduce suicide and improve wellness among police officers by providing confidential resources and counseling. The legislation likely directs funding or establishes requirements to expand these support services across police departments nationwide.

Wildfire Grid Resiliency Act

Wildfire Grid Resiliency Act This bill requires the Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response of the Department of Energy (DOE) to carry out a Resilience Accelerator Demonstration Program. Under the program, the office must make awards to DOE's National Laboratories for projects that demonstrate innovative technologies to improve the electric grid's resilience to wildfires, such as technologies for monitoring vegetation management or enhancing the safety of first responders who respond to electric grid emergencies.

PHASE Act of 2025

Pedestrian Hazard, Awareness, and Safety Expansion Act of 2025 or the PHASE Act of 2025 This bill directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct studies and award grants to improve road safety for pedestrians and vulnerable road users. Specifically, the bill directs NIST to transmit to DOT potential solutions to improve and enhance traffic control devices using innovative technologies in order to better equip vehicle operators (including bicycles) and protect pedestrians and vulnerable road users. In addition, DOT must establish a program to provide grants to cities, Indian tribes, and municipalities to implement infrastructure that improves pedestrian safety (e.g., innovative technology for crosswalks, expanded buffer zones, and upgraded highway traffic signals). DOT must also carry out a study on developing physical alternatives to better protect pedestrians and vulnerable road users from traffic incidents.

Multiple Firearm Sales Reporting Modernization Act of 2025

The proposal would require gun dealers to report multiple firearm sales to federal law enforcement authorities more quickly and efficiently using updated electronic systems, rather than the current manual reporting methods. This change would help federal agents track patterns of bulk gun purchases that might indicate illegal trafficking or straw purchases (where someone buys guns for people prohibited from owning them). Gun dealers and law enforcement agencies would be the primary groups affected by these new reporting requirements.

Taxpayer Protection Act

Taxpayer Protection Act This bill limits the authority of the President (or any other member of the executive branch) to withhold federal funding to certain states. The bill also establishes a fund to provide funding to such states if funding is withheld. Specifically, the bill prohibits the President (or any other member of the executive branch) from (1) imposing a general prohibition on awarding federal funding to a donor state (or any political subdivision, hospital, school, or nonprofit entity in such state); or (2) revoking or suspending such federal funding unless the Government Accountability Office determines the donor state (or any political subdivision, hospital, school, or nonprofit entity in such state) committed fraud, waste, or abuse related to such funding. A donor state is any state in which the state’s taxpayers paid more federal income taxes than the state received in federal funding on average over the three-year period preceding the bill's enactment date. Finally, the bill establishes and provides specified funds to the Donor State Protection Trust Fund to provide funding to donor states in certain circumstances where federal funds are withheld in violation of this bill. (Conditions and limitations apply.)

Veterans Skilled Trades Transition Act

Veterans Skilled Trades Transition Act This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a report to Congress that builds on data reported in a previous report titled DoD Credentialing Utilization (3-BB02A16) to better assess the effectiveness of DOD credentialing programs for post-military civilian employment.

Designating May 2025 as "National Wildfire Preparedness Month".

This measure would officially recognize May 2025 as "National Wildfire Preparedness Month" to raise awareness about wildfire safety and prevention. The designation would encourage communities, government agencies, and individuals to focus on preparing for and reducing wildfire risks during that month. This affects homeowners, firefighters, emergency management officials, and anyone living in or near wildfire-prone areas.

Expressing support for the recognition of May 4 through May 10, 2025, as Wildfire Preparedness Week, the national event educating the public on fire safety and preparedness, and supporting the goals of a Wildfire Preparedness Week.

This resolution supports (1) the goals of Wildfire Preparedness Week; and (2) resources and educational initiatives that communicate how affected communities can take preventative measures such as instituting early warning systems and reducing unplanned human ignitions, as well as how to safely and efficiently evacuate people and their animals.

Fairness to Freedom Act of 2025

Fairness to Freedom Act of 2025 This bill establishes a right to legal representation in certain immigration proceedings (e.g., removal and immigration bond hearings) at the government's expense for individuals who cannot afford representation. The bill also establishes various entities to facilitate such legal representation. Currently, individuals in these immigration proceedings may be represented by counsel but not at government expense. The bill addresses various issues related to such legal representation, including (1) the scope of the representation, (2) criteria for determining whether the individual is financially unable to afford representation, and (3) requirements relating to allowing the individual to meet with their lawyer and receiving relevant documents. Immigration proceedings may not commence until counsel has been appointed. The bill also establishes the Office of Immigration Representation to ensure that qualified individuals who cannot afford legal representation receive the representation as required by this bill. The office's duties shall include establishing (1) administrative regions throughout the United States, and (2) a local immigration representation board for each region. The local boards must, subject to the office's approval, develop and implement plans for providing legal representation under this bill. To provide such legal representation, the local boards may (1) establish one or more immigrant public defender organizations, (2) contract with existing community defender organizations, and (3) establish a panel attorney system. The bill establishes minimum funding requirements for the office.

Supporting the goals and ideals of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

This resolution supports the goals and ideals of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and honors and recognizes the contributions of public safety telecommunications professionals.

911 SAVES Act

Supporting Accurate Views of Emergency Services Act of 2025 or the 911 SAVES Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget to categorize public safety telecommunicators as a protective service occupation under the Standard Occupational Classification system no later than 30 days after the enactment of this bill. (The Standard Occupational Classification system is a federal statistical standard used by federal agencies to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting, calculating, or disseminating data.)