[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 49 (Friday, March 14, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1778-S1781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS
By Mr. BARRASSO (for himself, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Lankford, Mr.
Wicker, Ms. Lummis, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Scott of
Florida, and Mr. Daines):
S. 1082. A bill to apply the Medicaid asset verification program to
all applicants for, and recipients of, medical assistance in all States
and territories, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 1082
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 ``Safeguarding Medicaid Act''.
SEC. 2. APPLICATION OF MEDICAID ASSET TEST TO ALL APPLICANTS
FOR, AND RECIPIENTS OF, MEDICAL ASSISTANCE IN
ALL STATES AND TERRITORIES.
(a) In General.--Section 1940 of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396w) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (4); and
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by striking ``on the basis of
being aged, blind, or disabled''.
(b) Rules.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
shall promulgate such rules as are necessary to implement the
amendments made by subsection (a).
(c) Effective Date.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the amendments
made by subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is
1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.
(2) Phase-in of implementation.--
(A) In general.--During the 1-year period that begins on
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health
and Human Services shall require States to submit and
implement a plan for an electronic integrated asset
verification program that meets the requirements of section
1940 of the Social Security Act (as amended by subsection
(a)).
(B) Implementation before effective date.--Nothing in this
subsection or section 1940 of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396w) shall be construed as prohibiting a State from
implementing an asset verification program that meets the
requirements of such section (as amended by subsection (a))
in advance of the effective date specified under paragraph
(1).
(C) Delay of effective date.--If a State requests a delay
of the effective date specified under paragraph (1) on the
basis of ongoing economic hardship limitations, as determined
by the chief executive officer of the State, the Secretary of
Health and Human Services may delay such effective date for
up to 365 days.
SEC. 3. MEDICAID RESOURCES ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENT.
(a) In General.--Section 1902(e)(14)(C) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(14)(C)) is amended to read
as follows:
``(C) Resources test requirement.--
``(i) In general.--Except as provided in clause (iii),
notwithstanding any other provision of this title, in the
case of an individual with respect to whom a determination of
income eligibility for medical assistance under the State
plan or under any waiver of such plan is required, the State
shall also apply a resources eligibility test that meets the
requirement of clause (ii).
``(ii) Requirement.--A State resources eligibility test
meets the requirement of this clause if the test precludes
eligibility for any individual whose resources (as determined
under section 1613 for purposes of the supplemental security
income program) exceed the maximum amount of resources that
an individual may have and obtain benefits under that
program, or such amount as the State shall establish.
[[Page S1779]]
``(iii) No effect on continuous eligibility requirements
for pregnant and postpartum women or children.--Nothing in
this subparagraph shall affect the application of paragraph
(6), (12), or (16) of this subsection (relating to continuous
eligibility for pregnant and postpartum women and children
under the age of 19).''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1902(e)(6) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(6)) is amended by inserting
``or resources'' after ``income'' each place it appears.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section
shall take effect on the date that is 2 years after the date
of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. REQUIRING CMS TO TRACK STATE ASSET VERIFICATION OF
FEDERAL MEDICAID PROGRAMS.
(a) Tracking Asset Verification Program Savings.--Not later
than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shall create a
Federal tracking system of the savings in Federal
expenditures on the Medicaid program under title XIX of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) that are
associated with the asset verification program requirement
added under section 2(a).
(b) Reports to Congress.--
(1) In general.--Beginning with the first year that begins
on or after the date of enactment of this Act, each State
shall submit to the Secretary, as part of the triennial
review required under the Payment Error Rate Measurement
program of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, a
report, that the Secretary shall make publicly available, on
the activities of the State relating to eligibility
determinations and renewals conducted during the year for
which the report is submitted, and which includes, with
respect to such year, the following information:
(A) The number of eligibility renewals initiated, and asset
checks conducted, beneficiaries renewed on a total and ex
parte basis.
(B) The number of asset checks conducted out of the number
of new applications initiated and the number of applicants
determined eligible after such checks.
(C) Such other information related to eligibility
determinations and renewals during such month, as identified
by the Secretary.
(2) Application to territories.--For purposes of applying
the reporting requirements of paragraph (1) to Puerto Rico,
the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and
American Samoa, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations to
modify such requirements so that they are similar to the
reporting requirements that apply under such paragraph to the
50 States and the District of Columbia but are reasonable
given the circumstances of each such territory.
(c) Enforcement and Corrective Action.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary may assess a State's
compliance with all Federal requirements applicable to
eligibility determinations, redeterminations, and Medicaid
payment error rate measurement (PERM) reporting requirements,
and, if the Secretary determines that a State did not comply
with any such requirements during the 180 day period
preceding the assessment, the Secretary may require the State
to submit and implement a corrective action plan in
accordance with paragraph (2).
(2) Corrective action plan.--A State that receives a
written notice from the Secretary that the Secretary has
determined that the State is not in compliance with a
requirement described in paragraph (1) shall--
(A) not later than 90 days after receiving such notice,
submit a corrective action plan to the Secretary;
(B) not later than 90 days after the date on which such
corrective action plan is submitted to the Secretary, receive
approval or disapproval for the plan from the Secretary; and
(C) begin implementation of such corrective action plan not
later than 90 days after such approval.
______
By Mr. BARRASSO (for himself, Mr. Daines, and Mr. King):
S. 1083. A bill to provide for certain improvements to the housing
and workforce programs of Federal land management agencies, and for
other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Mr. BARRASSO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of
the bill be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
S. 1083
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Land
Manager Housing and Workforce Improvement Act of 2025''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act
is as follows:
Sec. 1. Short title.
Sec. 2. Definitions.
TITLE I--EXPANDING AUTHORITY
Sec. 101. Prioritizing National Park Service workforce housing.
Sec. 102. Authorizing the National Park Service to address workforce
housing off-park.
Sec. 103. Expanding National Park Service rental options.
Sec. 104. Leveraging National Park Service rental receipts for
workforce housing programming.
Sec. 105. Empowering the Forest Service to address workforce housing
needs.
TITLE II--EXPANDING PARTNERSHIP CAPACITY
Sec. 201. Engaging partners to address National Park Service workforce
housing.
Sec. 202. Encouraging public-private cooperative management.
Sec. 203. Leveraging philanthropic support to address National Park
Service workforce housing.
TITLE III--SUPPORTING WORKFORCE
Sec. 301. Supporting the land manager workforce.
Sec. 302. Supporting the seasonal National Park Service workforce.
TITLE IV--REPORTS AND OVERSIGHT
Sec. 401. Quantifying the workforce housing needs of land managers.
Sec. 402. Conducting oversight on the housing programming of land
managers.
Sec. 403. Justifying emergency spending.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the
Senate;
(B) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House of
Representatives;
(E) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives; and
(F) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(2) Covered agencies.--The term ``covered agencies''
means--
(A) the National Park Service;
(B) the Bureau of Land Management;
(C) the United States Fish and Wildlife Service; and
(D) the Forest Service.
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of the Interior.
TITLE I--EXPANDING AUTHORITY
SEC. 101. PRIORITIZING NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WORKFORCE
HOUSING.
Section 103502(a)(3) of title 54, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) by inserting ``quarters for field employees (as those
terms are defined in section 101331),'' after ``prioritize'';
and
(2) by inserting a comma after ``facilities''.
SEC. 102. AUTHORIZING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE TO ADDRESS
WORKFORCE HOUSING OFF-PARK.
Section 100901 of title 54, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(i) Acquisition of Land for Administration of System
Units.--
``(1) In general.--To facilitate the administration of a
System unit, the Secretary may acquire, by donation,
exchange, or transfer from another Federal agency, not more
than 20 acres of land or interests in land, cumulatively,
within the vicinity of the System unit boundary for the
development, construction, maintenance, or operation of
quarters for field employees (as those terms are defined in
section 101331) for the System unit.
``(2) Management.--
``(A) In general.--With respect to any land or interest in
land acquired by the Secretary under paragraph (1)--
``(i) the land or interest in land shall not--
``(I) be administered as part of the System; or
``(II) be subject to the laws (including regulations)
governing the associated System unit; but
``(ii) the Secretary shall--
``(I) have the authority to supervise, manage, and control
the land; and
``(II) issue such rules and regulations as the Secretary
may determine to be necessary and proper for the use and
management of the land.
``(B) Authorizations.--The Secretary may grant exclusive
privileges, leases, and permits for the use of land acquired
under paragraph (1) and enter into contracts relating to such
authorizations as authorized under this title,
notwithstanding any restriction on such authorizations to
land within a System unit boundary.
``(3) Disposal.--If the Secretary determines that any land
or interest in land acquired under paragraph (1) no longer
supports the administration of the System unit--
``(A) the Secretary may determine the land and any
improvements to the land to be excess property for disposal;
and
``(B) the proceeds from the disposal of excess property
under subparagraph (A) shall be retained by the Secretary and
deposited in the special fund established for the
development, construction, maintenance, or operation of
quarters for field employees (as so defined) described in
section 101338(b), to be expended by the Secretary without
further appropriation.''.
[[Page S1780]]
SEC. 103. EXPANDING NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RENTAL OPTIONS.
Section 101336 of title 54, United States Code, is amended,
in the first sentence, by striking ``management, repair, and
maintenance of field employee quarters'' and inserting
``development, construction, maintenance, or operation of
quarters for field employees''.
SEC. 104. LEVERAGING NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RENTAL RECEIPTS
FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING PROGRAMMING.
Section 101338 of title 54, United States Code, is amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(c) Use of Special Fund by National Park Service.--
Amounts deposited by the Service in the special fund
described in subsection (b) and established under section 320
of Public Law 98-473 (5 U.S.C. 5911 note) shall be available
for the development, construction, maintenance, or operation
of quarters for field employees at System units.''.
SEC. 105. EMPOWERING THE FOREST SERVICE TO ADDRESS WORKFORCE
HOUSING NEEDS.
(a) Use of Forest Service Structures or Improvements.--
Section 7 of the Act of April 24, 1950 (commonly known as the
``Granger-Thye Act'') (64 Stat. 84, chapter 97; 16 U.S.C.
580d), is amended by striking ``thirty years as determined by
him'' and inserting ``30 years, or in the case of a permit
for workforce housing and related infrastructure, 50 years,
as determined to be appropriate by the Secretary of
Agriculture''.
(b) Conveyances of Forest Service Administrative Sites.--
Title V of the Forest Service Facility Realignment and
Enhancement Act of 2005 (16 U.S.C. 580d note; Public Law 109-
54) is amended--
(1) in section 503--
(A) by striking subsection (f); and
(B) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (f); and
(2) in section 504(c)(2), by striking ``by competitive
sale'' and inserting ``by soliciting not fewer than 2
competitive bids''.
TITLE II--EXPANDING PARTNERSHIP CAPACITY
SEC. 201. ENGAGING PARTNERS TO ADDRESS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
WORKFORCE HOUSING.
Section 101701(a) of title 54, United States Code, is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting, ``, including projects
for quarters for field employees (as those terms are defined
in section 101331),'' after ``responsibilities of the
Secretary''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by inserting ``, Tribal,'' after ``State'';
(B) by inserting ``(including an organization that has a
philanthropic agreement to fundraise or otherwise generate
donations on behalf of, or for the benefit of, the Service)''
after ``organization''; and
(C) by inserting ``(including an individual that has a
philanthropic agreement to fundraise or otherwise generate
donations on behalf of, or for the benefit of, the Service)''
after ``individual''.
SEC. 202. ENCOURAGING PUBLIC-PRIVATE COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT.
Section 101703 of title 54, United States Code, is amended
to read as follows:
``Sec. 101703. Cooperative management agreements
``(a) Definition of State.--In this section, the term
`State' means each of the several States, the District of
Columbia, and each territory of the United States.
``(b) Cooperative Management Agreements.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in accordance with the
laws generally applicable to System units and under such
terms and conditions as the Secretary considers appropriate,
may enter into a cooperative management agreement with a
State, Indian Tribe, or local government with park land
adjacent to a System unit, if the agreement would provide for
more effective and efficient management of a System unit and
the adjacent non-Federal park land.
``(2) No transfer of administrative responsibilities.--The
Secretary may not transfer administration responsibilities
for any System unit under this subsection.
``(c) Provision of Goods and Services.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary may provide or acquire
goods and services on a reimbursable basis as part of a
cooperative management agreement entered into under
subsection (b).
``(2) Retention of funds.--The Secretary may retain and
expend any funds received under this section without further
appropriation.
``(d) Co-location.--The Secretary and a State, Indian
Tribe, or local government may co-locate in offices or
facilities owned or leased by either party as part of a
cooperative management agreement entered into under
subsection (b).
``(e) Employees.--
``(1) Assignment of employee.--The Secretary may arrange an
assignment under section 3372 of title 5 of a Federal
employee or an employee of a State, Indian Tribe, or local
government, as mutually agreed on, for work, on the
applicable Federal, State, local, or Tribal park land covered
by the cooperative management agreement.
``(2) Extension of assignment.--An assignment under
paragraph (1) may be extended if the Secretary and the State,
Indian Tribe, or local government determine the extension to
be mutually beneficial.''.
SEC. 203. LEVERAGING PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT TO ADDRESS
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE WORKFORCE HOUSING.
Section 103501(c)(3) of title 54, United States Code, is
amended by striking ``(including funds and fairly valued
durable goods and materials)'' and inserting ``(including any
combination of cash, fairly valued services, and durable
goods and materials)''.
TITLE III--SUPPORTING WORKFORCE
SEC. 301. SUPPORTING THE LAND MANAGER WORKFORCE.
(a) In General.--The Secretary or the Secretary of
Agriculture, as applicable, may recruit and directly appoint
qualified individuals into the competitive service who are
certified, in accordance with procedures established by the
Secretary or the Secretary of Agriculture, as applicable, as
maintaining a permanent and exclusive residence within the
vicinity of a site administered by the National Park Service,
the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, or the Forest
Service to a field unit which the individual would report to
work into any position at or below grade GS-9 of the General
Schedule, WG-15 of the Federal Wage System, or equivalent
within the applicable field unit.
(b) Requirements.--An appointment by the Secretary under
subsection (a) shall be considered compliant with all
applicable provisions of chapter 33 of title 5, United States
Code, if the Secretary ensures that the appointment action--
(1) is consistent with the merit principles of section 2301
of that title; and
(2) complies with the public notice requirements of section
3327 of that title.
(c) Termination of Authority.--The authority provided under
subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 2030.
SEC. 302. SUPPORTING THE SEASONAL NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
WORKFORCE.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
law, for purposes of determining the noncompetitive rehire
eligibility of temporary seasonal employees of the National
Park Service--
(1) the Secretary shall establish a definition of what
constitutes a major subdivision of the National Park Service;
and
(2) any requirement that a position be in the same local
commuting area shall not apply.
(b) Termination of Authority.--The authority provided under
subsection (a) shall terminate on September 30, 2030.
TITLE IV--REPORTS AND OVERSIGHT
SEC. 401. QUANTIFYING THE WORKFORCE HOUSING NEEDS OF LAND
MANAGERS.
Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary and the Secretary of Agriculture
shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a needs assessment report that provides, with
respect to housing the workforce of covered agencies, as
applicable--
(1) an analysis of the unit type and condition of--
(A) housing owned by the covered agencies; and
(B) housing leased by the covered agencies;
(2) an analysis of the employment status of the occupants
of the housing analyzed under paragraph (1), including--
(A) whether the occupants are--
(i) members of the permanent workforce; or
(ii) members of the seasonal workforce; and
(B) which positions identified under subparagraph (A)
required housing provided by the applicable covered agency as
a condition of employment with the covered agency; and
(3) an analysis of the private housing markets within the
vicinity of a covered agency field unit, including--
(A) the availability and affordability of housing for sale
or lease; and
(B) the impact of vacation rental services on--
(i) the cost of living; and
(ii) the available supply of housing.
SEC. 402. CONDUCTING OVERSIGHT ON THE HOUSING PROGRAMMING OF
LAND MANAGERS.
(a) Report to Congress.--Not later than 18 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the
United States shall submit to the appropriate committees of
Congress a report that--
(1) assesses, in consultation with the National Housing
Council described in Office of Management and Budget Circular
A-45, the effect of Office of Management and Budget Circular
A-45R on the housing of the workforce of covered agencies;
(2) assesses the effect of Office of Management and Budget
Circular A-11 on the housing of the workforce of covered
agencies;
(3) assesses the effect of department-level guidance on the
housing of the workforce of covered agencies;
(4) assesses the effect of agency-level guidance on the
housing of the workforce of covered agencies; and
(5) identifies suggested administrative actions and
legislative proposals to reform the guidance assessed under
paragraphs (1) through (4), including--
(A) improvements to tenant experience;
(B) improvements to workforce housing supply, including--
(i) housing managed by the covered agencies; and
(ii) leased private market housing;
(C) improvements to financing options;
(D) improvements to public-private partnerships;
(E) improvements to philanthropic engagement; and
(F) improvements to commuting times to report stations,
including--
[[Page S1781]]
(i) available housing in the gateway communities;
(ii) available housing in the nearest established community
(as defined in Office of Management and Budget Circular A-
45); and
(iii) differences between normal commuting conditions and
peak-commute traffic conditions, including considerations
for--
(I) road quality and condition;
(II) availability of public transportation;
(III) winter driving; and
(IV) visitor traffic.
(b) Implementation.--Not later than 1 year after the date
on which the report is submitted under subsection (a), the
heads of the covered agencies shall carry out the
administrative actions identified under paragraph (5) of that
subsection.
SEC. 403. JUSTIFYING EMERGENCY SPENDING.
Section 5 of the Act of August 3, 1956 (70 Stat. 1033,
chapter 950; 7 U.S.C. 2228), is amended--
(1) by striking the section designation and all that
follows through ``The Department'' and inserting the
following:
``SEC. 5. EMERGENCY SUBSISTENCE FOR EMPLOYEES.
``(a) In General.--The Department''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(b) Report.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), not
later than 30 days after the date on which the Secretary of
Agriculture furnishes subsistence to employees under
subsection (a), the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress (as defined in section
2 of the Land Manager Housing and Workforce Improvement Act
of 2025) a report providing--
``(A) 1 or more justifications for the use of the
authority;
``(B) the number of employees that were furnished
subsistence;
``(C) the estimated cost of furnishing subsistence; and
``(D) the expected duration for which subsistence is to be
provided.
``(2) Office of management and budget.--The information for
a report required under paragraph (1) shall be produced in
coordination with, and approved by, the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget.
``(3) Exception.--A report under paragraph (1) shall not be
required in the case of an emergency resulting from a natural
disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster.''.
____________________