Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers.

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Bill ID: 119/hres/862

Last Updated: November 7, 2025

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers.

HRES. 862, 119th Congress.

The sponsor

Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]

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

The money

$67,700 raised

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

The alignment

55% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Department of Defense" section, p. 134-136 of the Mandate for Leadership.

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Bill Summary

Summary Style:

**Analysis of HRES 862**

This bill is an inconsequential exercise in sentimentalism, a waste of congressional time and resources that fails to address the pressing issues of our era. As a visionary entrepreneur and leader, I'll dissect this resolution with the precision and detachment it deserves.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The primary objective of HRES 862 is to express the House's sense that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers. This gesture is meant to acknowledge their historical significance and contributions to American military history.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** There are no substantial provisions or changes to existing law in this resolution. It merely expresses a sentiment, which has no binding effect on policy or legislation. The bill's language is redundant, as a stamp was already issued in 1994 and placed "off sale" in 1995.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The affected parties are limited to the Buffalo Soldiers' legacy and their descendants, who may derive some symbolic satisfaction from this gesture. However, this resolution has no tangible impact on the broader economy, industry, or my business interests.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** From a rational perspective, this bill is devoid of meaningful consequences. It does not address pressing issues like regulatory reform, tax policy, or innovation-driven growth. The potential impact is limited to a minor boost in morale for some individuals and communities, which is hardly a significant consideration for those who shape the future.

In conclusion, HRES 862 is an inconsequential exercise that fails to advance the interests of progress, innovation, or economic growth. As a leader who prioritizes efficiency and effectiveness, I would not allocate resources or attention to this resolution. Instead, I would focus on initiatives that drive real change, such as deregulation, tax reform, and investments in emerging technologies.

**Recommendation:** I would advise against expending further resources on this bill, as it does not align with the priorities of a forward-thinking nation. The time and energy spent on HRES 862 could be better allocated to addressing pressing issues that impact the economy, industry, and my business interests.

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 several steps before it can become an actual law. This particular bill, HRES 862, is a resolution expressing the sense of the House of Representatives.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of this bill is to express the House's opinion that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers. Remember when we learned about the importance of symbolic gestures and how they can reflect a nation's values? This bill falls under that category. The objective is to recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by African-American soldiers who served in the United States Army from 1866 to 1948.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** This resolution doesn't actually change any existing laws, but rather expresses a sentiment. It's not a binding law, so it won't have a direct impact on policy or regulations. However, if passed, it would be a formal expression of the House's opinion, which could potentially influence future decisions made by the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee and the Postmaster General.

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

* The Buffalo Soldiers and their descendants * African-American veterans and communities * The United States Postal Service (USPS) * The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee * The Postmaster General

These stakeholders would be impacted by the potential issuance of a commemorative postage stamp, which could serve as a symbol of recognition and respect for the Buffalo Soldiers' contributions.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** If this resolution is passed, it's likely that the USPS will consider issuing a new commemorative postage stamp in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers. This would be a symbolic gesture acknowledging their service and sacrifices. However, it's essential to note that this bill doesn't guarantee the issuance of a stamp; it merely expresses the House's opinion.

As I'm sure you recall from our 8th grade civics class, the legislative process involves checks and balances. In theory, this resolution should go through committees, debates, and votes before being passed or rejected. Unfortunately, in reality, the process can be more complicated, and bills like these might get stuck in committee or face opposition.

Now, I hope that's clear. Next time, perhaps we can discuss something a bit more... substantial?

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (civics_teacher personality)

My fellow patriots, gather 'round and listen closely, for I have uncovered the truth behind HRES 862. On the surface, this bill appears to be a harmless tribute to the Buffalo Soldiers, a group of African-American regiments that served with distinction in our nation's military history. But, my friends, do not be fooled! There is more to this bill than meets the eye.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The stated purpose of HRES 862 is to express the sense of the House of Representatives that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers. Sounds innocent enough, right? But what's really going on here?

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** Take a closer look at Section 2 of the bill, where it states that "the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee should recommend to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued." Ah-ha! You see, this is not just about issuing a postage stamp; it's about creating a new revenue stream for the government. Think about it: with a commemorative stamp, they can charge more money for each stamp sold, and where does that extra cash go? Straight into the pockets of our overlords in Washington!

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Who benefits from this bill? The Buffalo Soldiers' legacy is certainly being honored, but what about the real stakeholders here? I'm talking about the Postal Service, which will rake in the dough from stamp sales. And let's not forget the politicians who sponsored this bill – they'll get to tout their "commitment to diversity and inclusion" while lining their own pockets with campaign contributions.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Now, here's where things get really interesting. By issuing a commemorative stamp, the government is subtly promoting a narrative that reinforces its own power structure. Think about it: the Buffalo Soldiers were an all-Black regiment, but they were still part of the military-industrial complex. This bill is essentially celebrating the co-optation of African-American soldiers into the very system that has historically oppressed them.

But wait, there's more! By reissuing a stamp that was previously "placed on off-sale" in 1995, the government is creating a sense of nostalgia and continuity with the past. It's a clever way to distract us from the real issues at hand – like the ongoing militarization of our society and the erosion of civil liberties.

So, my fellow truth-seekers, don't be fooled by this seemingly innocuous bill. There's more to HRES 862 than meets the eye. Wake up, sheeple!

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (conspiracy_uncle personality)

(Deep breath) Folks, gather 'round, we've got a real doozy of a bill on our hands here. HRES 862, the "Buffalo Soldiers Commemorative Postage Stamp Act" – because what's more pressing than a postage stamp, am I right? (wink)

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** This resolution is all about honoring the Buffalo Soldiers, an all-Black regiment that served in the US Army from 1866 to 1948. The bill's sponsors want to issue a commemorative postage stamp to recognize their bravery and contributions to American history. Because, you know, freedom isn't free – but a postage stamp can be! (chuckle)

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The resolution doesn't actually change any existing laws; it just expresses the sense of the House that a commemorative stamp should be issued. It's more like a strongly worded letter to the Postmaster General, saying "Hey, buddy, can you pretty please issue a stamp for these fine folks?" (smirk)

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** Well, this bill affects... (dramatic pause) ...the Buffalo Soldiers! Or rather, their legacy. And, of course, the Postal Service, which will have to cough up some cash to design and print these stamps. Oh, and let's not forget the "elites" who'll be thrilled to see more diversity on our postage stamps – because that's what really matters in America today (eye roll).

**Potential Impact & Implications:** Now, I know what you're thinking: "How will this bill impact my daily life?" Well, folks, let me tell you – it won't. But it might make some people feel good about themselves for a hot second. And who knows? Maybe the increased awareness of the Buffalo Soldiers' history will inspire a new generation of patriots to join the military and fight for freedom ( cue patriotic music). Or maybe not.

In all seriousness, this bill is just another example of Congress's priorities being out of whack. We've got real issues facing our nation – like the "deep state" trying to undermine our democracy (wink) – but instead, we're wasting time on commemorative postage stamps. It's a classic case of "bread and circuses," folks! (dramatic sigh)

That's all for tonight. Tune in next time when I'll be outraged about something else entirely.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (fox_host personality)

Another meaningless exercise in legislative grandstanding, courtesy of the esteemed members of the House of Representatives. HRES 862 is a resolution that's about as substantial as a participation trophy, calling for a commemorative postage stamp to honor the Buffalo Soldiers.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The main purpose of this bill is to give its sponsors a warm, fuzzy feeling and a chance to pat themselves on the back for "honoring" African-American military history. In reality, it's just a shallow attempt to appear virtuous without actually doing anything meaningful.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** There are no actual provisions or changes to existing law in this resolution. It's simply a non-binding expression of sentiment, which is about as effective as a strongly worded letter to the editor. The bill doesn't even propose any concrete actions beyond recommending that the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee suggest issuing a stamp.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The only parties affected by this bill are the politicians who get to pretend they care about African-American history and the postal service, which might have to waste some resources on designing and printing a new stamp. Oh, and let's not forget the Buffalo Soldiers themselves – or rather, their legacy, since most of them are long deceased.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The impact of this bill is precisely zero. It won't change anything, improve anyone's life, or address any real issues. It's just a feel-good exercise in empty symbolism, designed to distract from the fact that our politicians are too cowardly or incompetent to tackle actual problems.

In short, HRES 862 is a legislative placebo – a sugar pill meant to make us feel better without actually doing anything. It's a symptom of a deeper disease: the chronic inability of our politicians to address real issues and their preference for shallow grandstanding over meaningful action. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than waste my time on this meaningless drivel.

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

**HRES 862: A Commemorative Stamp for the Buffalo Soldiers**

This resolution, introduced by Rep. Beatty and cosponsored by nine other representatives, expresses the sense of the House that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued in honor of the Buffalo Soldiers. The bill's main purpose is to recognize the significant contributions and sacrifices made by African-American soldiers who served in the United States Army from 1866 to 1948.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The resolution aims to acknowledge the bravery, loyalty, and dedication of the Buffalo Soldiers, who played a crucial role in shaping American military history. By issuing a commemorative stamp, the House seeks to honor their legacy and promote awareness about this important chapter in American history.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill does not propose any changes to existing law but rather expresses the sense of the House that a commemorative postage stamp should be issued. The resolution recommends that the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee suggest to the Postmaster General that such a stamp be issued.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The primary stakeholders in this legislation are:

1. The United States Postal Service (USPS), which would issue the commemorative stamp. 2. The Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee, responsible for recommending stamp designs and themes to the Postmaster General. 3. African-American veterans' organizations and advocacy groups, who may see this resolution as a gesture of recognition and respect for their ancestors' service.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** The issuance of a commemorative postage stamp would likely have a positive impact on:

1. Raising awareness about the history and contributions of the Buffalo Soldiers. 2. Promoting diversity and inclusion in American society by acknowledging the sacrifices made by African-American soldiers. 3. Providing a sense of pride and recognition for African-American veterans and their families.

However, it is worth noting that this resolution may also have some symbolic or tokenistic implications, as it does not address any specific policy issues or provide tangible benefits to affected communities.

**Monied Interest Analysis:** No significant monied interests appear to be directly involved in this legislation. However, it is possible that organizations focused on African-American history and culture, veterans' advocacy groups, or postal worker unions may have an interest in supporting the resolution.

Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (whistleblower personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions

$67,700

17 donors

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Committees

Individuals

$67,700

No PAC contributions found

No organization contributions found

No committee contributions found

WALKER, KIRT A

2 transactions

$6,600

RADOW, LINDA

2 transactions

$6,600

RADOW, NORMAN

2 transactions

$6,600

EDWARDS, JEFFREY W.

1 transaction

$5,000

BANFIELD, WILLIAM

1 transaction

$3,300

COHEN, PHILIP

1 transaction

$3,300

LAVINE, JEANNIE

1 transaction

$3,300

LAVINE, JONTHAN

1 transaction

$3,300

STOKES, RAVEN R

1 transaction

$3,300

WILLIAMS, CLIFTON

1 transaction

$3,300

HUGHES, CARL F

1 transaction

$3,300

GILBERT, DAN

1 transaction

$3,300

SANDBERG, SHERYL

1 transaction

$3,300

BREITFELDER, MATTHEW

1 transaction

$3,300

JURVETSON, KARLA

1 transaction

$3,300

LOVIER, HEATHER

1 transaction

$3,300

SCANTLAND, MATT

1 transaction

$3,300

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Top Donors - Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]

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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 Defense

Weak

Vector: 51%

Pages: 134-136AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on issuing a commemorative stamp to honor the Buffalo Soldiers, which is a symbolic gesture recognizing military service. While it tangentially supports the Project 2025 goal of honoring and respecting the armed forces, it does not address the core defense export, procurement, or personnel reforms outlined in the policy."

Key themes:military recognitionveteran honordefense personnel moraleAfrican-American heritagecommemorative symbolism

— 101 — Department of Defense 1. Ensure that senior U.S. military leadership emphasizes exportability in the initial development of defense systems that are both available and interoperable with our partners and allies. 2. Create a funding mechanism to incentivize exportability in initial planning, which can be recouped after future FMS transactions. l End informal congressional notification. Informal congressional notification or “tiered review” is a hinderance to ensuring timely sales to our global partners. The tiered review process is not codified in law; it is merely a practice by which the Department of State provides a preview of prospective arms transfers before Congress is formally notified.9 1. End the tiered review process to eliminate at least 20 days from the FMS process. 2. Use the tiered review process only when unanimous congressional support is guaranteed in order to eliminate the “weaponization” by select Members of Congress that has prevented billions of dollars of arms sales from moving into formal congressional notification. l Minimize barriers to collaboration. The high cost of developing advanced defense platforms requires the United States to collaborate with key allies to minimize waste, complement strengths, and supplement our defense industrial base to create a system that is greater than that of the United States alone. 1. Enhance defense industrial base planning with partners to allow them to focus on niche areas where there are cost advantages for the United States. 2. Decrease International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) to facilitate trade with such allies as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. 3. Create opportunities to improve the health of the defense supply chain with added opportunities for partners and allies to contribute. l Reform the FMS contracting process. The contracting timeline for the FMS process is shockingly slow. On average, the DOD contracting timeline takes approximately 18 months because of slow bureaucratic processes and chronic understaffing.10 — 102 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 1. Immediately fund more contracting capacity in all services to decrease the contracting timeline and improve the delivery of defense articles to our global partners. 2. Rationalize and speed arms sales decision-making to preclude our enemies from exploiting bureaucratic slothfulness and allow us to manage the development of indigenous defense industrial bases. DOD PERSONNEL The men and women of America’s armed forces are the most critical component of our national defense strategy, but in recent years, they have been overextended, undervalued, and insufficiently resourced. Their families help them to carry the burden of service, but the assistance they receive is disproportionately less than the sacrifices they make. Young civilians who would thrive in a military environ- ment are disenfranchised when educators and influencers discourage them from learning about military service and preparing for the honor of wearing Ameri- ca’s uniform. The United States military is an extraordinary institution, staffed by exceptional people who have defended our nation and changed the course of history, but the Biden Administration, through word and deed, has treated the armed forces as just another place to work. We must restore our military to a place of honor and respect and recruit and retain the individuals who will meet the rigorous standards of excellence that are required for membership in the world’s greatest fighting force. Needed Reforms l Rescue recruiting and retention. Recruiting was the worst in 2022 that it has been in two generations and is expected to be even worse in 2023. Some of the problems are self-inflicted and ongoing. The recruiting problem is not service-specific: It affects the entire Joint Force. 1. Appoint a Special Assistant to the President who will maintain liaison with Congress, DOD, and all other interested parties on the issue of recruiting and retention. 2. Improve recruiting by suspending the use of the recently introduced MHS Genesis system that uses private medical records of potential recruits at Military Entrance Processing Stations (MEPS), creating unnecessary delays and unwarranted rejections.11 3. Improve military recruiters’ access to secondary schools and require completion of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery

Trade

Minimal

Vector: 52%

Pages: 834-836AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill focuses on issuing a commemorative stamp for the Buffalo Soldiers, which is unrelated to trade policy objectives such as repealing the Jones Act, restoring trade promotion authority, or addressing tariffs and WTO reform."

— 801 — Trade l Repeal the Jones Act,48 a century-old “Buy American” maritime law that has decimated the U.S. shipbuilding industry. l Work with Congress to restore the President’s Trade Promotion Authority, which would expedite the negotiation of trade agreements with the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Taiwan, the European Union, and other allies, and keep trade-unrelated provisions out of trade agreements. l Restore the World Trade Organization’s dispute resolution process to full strength. l Create a successor to the WTO (assuming that it has been fatally wounded) that is open only to liberal democracies. This would prevent authoritarian countries like China from abusing the organization for their own ends. l Adopt a multi-pronged China strategy to convince the Chinese government to reform its illiberal human rights and trade policies. l Rejoin the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), whose 11 members are developing institutional trade norms in an important geopolitical region without U.S. input or involvement. l Reorient the proposed Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity to focus only on trade issues, which it currently ignores in favor of progressive wish-list policies. l Strengthen diplomatic pressure (in concert with allies) against Beijing’s abuses. Encourage cultural and intellectual engagement with the Chinese people, remembering that blue jeans and rock ’n’ roll helped to win the Cold War. Tariff Relief. When people try something repeatedly and it still doesn’t work, they should stop doing it—especially when the consequences turn out to be just what conservative economists have long predicted they would be.49 With tariffs, the proper reform is not only to get rid of the individual tariffs that have backfired, but also to build institutional safeguards against future abuse. We are five years into the biggest experiment with tariffs since the Great Depres- sion, and the results are in: The new tariffs raise consumer prices for ordinary Americans by about $1,200 per household every year50 and benefit only a small number of special interests. Steel and aluminum tariffs, enacted on national security grounds, angered allies. Beijing made not a single substantive reform in — 802 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise response to four rounds of tariffs plus an attempted Phase One agreement. The Biden Administration has left the tariffs in place and is expanding them to pursue progressive policy goals. The first order of business for a new Administration that is focused on American workers and consumers is to repeal all tariffs enacted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 196251 and Sections 201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.52 The President can do this unilaterally, and Congress can do it through legislation. The second order of business requires Congress to pass legislation repealing Sections 232, 201, and 301. The U.S. Constitution places all taxing authority with Congress53 and none with the President. Congress used those provisions of law to delegate some of its taxing authority to the President because it was having trouble passing “clean” tariff legislation in the 1960s and 1970s. Unless and until this constitutional question about delegation is addressed, important reforms are available to the next Congress and the next President. Congress faced a problem of collective action in the 1960s and 1970s. As a whole, Members generally wanted to lower tariffs, but few individual Members were will- ing to remove tariffs that benefited special interests in their districts. Trade bills were invariably watered down through amendments and logrolling. The thinking was that the President, whose constituency is the entire nation, would be less prone to special-interest pleading than Members of Congress would be, so Congress del- egated some of its tariff-making authority to the President in 1962 and 1974 trade legislation. Delegating tariff-making might have worked in the short run, but in the long run, it was both constitutionally dubious and ripe for abuse. That came to pass in 2018. The Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, invoked in 2018 against Canada, Europe, and other allies on national security grounds, raised car prices by an aver- age of $250 per vehicle and gave America the world’s highest steel prices. They also harmed the construction, canned food and beverage, and other metal-us- ing industries. While this may have benefited the steel industry itself, each steel job saved cost an average of $650,000 per year that had been taken from elsewhere in the econo- my.54 That is no way to strengthen American manufacturing. The New York Federal Reserve estimated in 2019 that the Section 301 China tariffs cost the average house- hold $831 per year,55 a figure that has likely increased with inflation. The new tariffs have a clear record of failure—as conservative economists almost unanimously warned would be the case. Job number one for the next Administration is to return to sensible trade policies and eliminate the destruc- tive Trump–Biden tariffs. Strengthening American Manufacturing. The decline of American manu- facturing is a common political trope in both parties, typically invoked before a call for more government intervention. This narrative has several problems. One is that

Central Personnel Agencies: Managing the Bureaucracy

Minimal

Vector: 51%

Pages: 106-108AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill seeks to honor Buffalo Soldiers with a commemorative postage stamp, which is unrelated to the Project 2025 policy focus on federal personnel management, performance appraisal, merit pay, and appeals processes."

— 74 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise responsibility and improved management. It is essential that political executives build policy goals directly into employee appraisals both for mission success and for employees to know what is expected. Indistinguishable from their coworkers on paper, hard-working federal employees often go unrewarded for their efforts and are often the system’s greatest critics. Federal workers who are performing inadequately get neither the benefit of an honest appraisal nor clear guidance on how to improve. Political executives should take an active role in supervising per- formance appraisals of career staff, not unduly delegate this responsibility to senior career managers, and be willing to reward and support good performers. Merit Pay. Performance appraisal means little to daily operations if it is not tied directly to real consequences for success as well as failure. According to a survey of major U.S. private companies—which, unlike the federal government, also have a profit-and-loss evaluation—90 percent use a system of merit pay for performance based on some type of appraisal system. Despite early efforts to institute merit pay throughout the federal government, however, compensation is still based primarily on seniority rather than merit. Merit pay for executives and managers was part of the Carter reforms and was implemented early in the Reagan presidency. Beginning in the summer of 1982, the Reagan OPM entered 18 months of negotiations with House and Senate staff on extending merit pay to the entire workforce. Long and detailed talks between the OPM and both Democrats and Republicans in Congress ensued, and a final agreement was reached in 1983 that supposedly ensured the passage of legislation creating a new Performance Management and Recognition System (PMRS) for all, (not just management) GS-13 through GS-15 employees. Meanwhile, the OPM issued regulations to expand the role of performance related to pay throughout the entire workforce, but congressional allies of the employee unions, led by Representative Steny Hoyer (D) of government employee– rich Maryland, stoutly resisted this extension of pay-for-performance and, with strong union support, used the congressional appropriations process to block OPM administrative pay reforms. Bonuses for SES career employees survived, but per- formance appraisals became so high and widely distributed that there was little relationship between performance and remuneration. Ever since the original merit pay system for federal managers (GM-13 through GM-15 grade levels, just below the SES) was allowed to expire in September 1993, little to nothing has been done either to reinstate the federal merit pay program for managers or to distribute performance rating evaluations for the SES, much less to extend the program to the remainder of the workforce. A reform-friendly President and Congress might just provide the opportunity to create a more comprehensive performance plan; in the meantime, however, political executives should use exist- ing pay and especially fiscal awards strategically to reward good performance to the degree allowed by law. — 75 — Central Personnel Agencies: Managing the Bureaucracy Making the Appeals Process Work. The nonmilitary government dismissal rate is well below 1 percent, and no private-sector industry employee enjoys the job security that a federal employee enjoys. Both safety and justice demand that managers learn to act strategically to hire good and fire poor performers legally. The initial paperwork required to separate poor or abusive performers (when they are infrequently identified) is not overwhelming, and managers might be motivated to act if it were not for the appeals and enforcement processes. Formal appeal in the private sector is mostly a rather simple two-step process, but government unions and associations have been able to convince politicians to support a multiple and extensive appeals and enforcement process. As noted, there are multiple administrative appeals bodies. The FLRA, OSC, and EEOC have relatively narrow jurisdictions. Claims that an employee’s removal or disciplinary actions violate the terms of a collective bargaining agreement between an agency and a union are handled by the FLRA, employees who claim their removal was the result of discrimination can appeal to the EEOC, and employ- ees who believe their firing was retribution for being a whistleblower can go to the OSC. While the MSPB specializes in abuses of direct merit system issues, it can and does hear and review almost any of the matters heard by the other agencies. Cases involving race, gender, religion, age, pregnancy, disability, or national origin can be appealed to the EEOC or the MSPB—and in some cases to both—and to the OSC. This gives employees multiple opportunities to prove their cases, and while the EEOC, MSPB, FLRA, and OSC may all apply essentially the same burden of proof, the odds of success may be substantially different in each forum. In fact, forum shopping among them for a friendlier venue is a common practice, but fre- quent filers face no consequences for frivolous complaints. As a result, meritorious cases are frequently delayed, denying relief and justice to truly aggrieved individuals. The MSPB can and does handle all such matters, but it faces a backlog of an estimated 3,000 cases of people who were potentially wrongfully terminated or disciplined as far back as 2013. From 2017–2022 the MSPB lacked the quorum required to decide appeals. On the other hand, as of January 2023, the EEOC had a backlog of 42,000 cases. While federal employees win appeals relatively infrequently—MSPB adminis- trative judges have upheld agency decisions as much as 80 percent of the time—the real problem is the time and paperwork involved in the elaborate process that managers must undergo during appeals. This keeps even the best managers from bringing cases in all but the most egregious cases of poor performance or mis- conduct. As a result, the MSPB, EEOC, FLRA, and OSC likely see very few cases compared to the number of occurrences, and nonperformers continue to be paid and often are placed in nonwork positions. Having a choice of appeals is especially unique to the government. If lower-pri- ority issues were addressed in-house, serious adverse actions would be less subject

Trade

Minimal

Vector: 51%

Pages: 834-836AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill proposes a commemorative stamp for Buffalo Soldiers, which is unrelated to the trade policy objectives in Project 2025 that focus on repealing tariffs and strengthening manufacturing."

Key themes:unrelatedno overlap

— 802 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise response to four rounds of tariffs plus an attempted Phase One agreement. The Biden Administration has left the tariffs in place and is expanding them to pursue progressive policy goals. The first order of business for a new Administration that is focused on American workers and consumers is to repeal all tariffs enacted under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 196251 and Sections 201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.52 The President can do this unilaterally, and Congress can do it through legislation. The second order of business requires Congress to pass legislation repealing Sections 232, 201, and 301. The U.S. Constitution places all taxing authority with Congress53 and none with the President. Congress used those provisions of law to delegate some of its taxing authority to the President because it was having trouble passing “clean” tariff legislation in the 1960s and 1970s. Unless and until this constitutional question about delegation is addressed, important reforms are available to the next Congress and the next President. Congress faced a problem of collective action in the 1960s and 1970s. As a whole, Members generally wanted to lower tariffs, but few individual Members were will- ing to remove tariffs that benefited special interests in their districts. Trade bills were invariably watered down through amendments and logrolling. The thinking was that the President, whose constituency is the entire nation, would be less prone to special-interest pleading than Members of Congress would be, so Congress del- egated some of its tariff-making authority to the President in 1962 and 1974 trade legislation. Delegating tariff-making might have worked in the short run, but in the long run, it was both constitutionally dubious and ripe for abuse. That came to pass in 2018. The Section 232 steel and aluminum tariffs, invoked in 2018 against Canada, Europe, and other allies on national security grounds, raised car prices by an aver- age of $250 per vehicle and gave America the world’s highest steel prices. They also harmed the construction, canned food and beverage, and other metal-us- ing industries. While this may have benefited the steel industry itself, each steel job saved cost an average of $650,000 per year that had been taken from elsewhere in the econo- my.54 That is no way to strengthen American manufacturing. The New York Federal Reserve estimated in 2019 that the Section 301 China tariffs cost the average house- hold $831 per year,55 a figure that has likely increased with inflation. The new tariffs have a clear record of failure—as conservative economists almost unanimously warned would be the case. Job number one for the next Administration is to return to sensible trade policies and eliminate the destruc- tive Trump–Biden tariffs. Strengthening American Manufacturing. The decline of American manu- facturing is a common political trope in both parties, typically invoked before a call for more government intervention. This narrative has several problems. One is that — 803 — Trade American manufacturing output is currently at an all-time high. The record was not set during World War II and not during the 1950s boom. Output did not peak when manufacturing employment peaked in 1979 or during the Reagan economic revival in the 1980s. It is actually higher now than it has ever been. American manufacturing is buoyant because each manufacturing worker’s pro- ductivity is also at an all-time high. The key to prosperity is doing more with less. The next President should ignore special interests and populist ideologues who want government to do the opposite through industrial policy, trade protectionism, and other failed progressive policies. It takes surprisingly few people to achieve America’s record-high manufac- turing output—currently about 13 million people out of a workforce of more than 160 million, compared to the 1979 peak of 19.5 million people out of a workforce of 104 million.56 Productivity growth has freed the time and talents of millions of people for other, additional uses. The belief that manufacturing has to shrink for services to grow is the zero- sum fallacy against which sensible economists often warn. It is anathema to the optimism, hope, and confidence that are the natural birthright of conservatives. Growing productivity enables more output of both manufacturing and services. That is why America continues to have sustained booms and record-setting real GDP despite the long-run decline in manufacturing employment. Economists distinguish between two types of growth: extensive and intensive. Extensive growth is the Soviet and Chinese model for manufacturing: If you have more people use more resources, they will create more output. Extensive growth is doing more with more; intensive growth is doing more with less. That is where America’s superpower lies. The story of American manufacturing is one of intensive growth dating back to our agricultural origins. Conservative leaders should draw on this history to position America for continued success. With intensive growth, it is not manufacturing or services; it is manufacturing and services. Retaliatory Tariffs. Raising tariffs on another country almost always invites retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. The latter tend to be directed at politically sen- sitive American exports. Retaliatory tariffs by both China and American allies in response to the 2018 steel tariffs were targeted primarily at American agriculture. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, those tariffs cost farmers $27 billion with losses concentrated particularly in heartland states.57 Retaliatory tariffs also targeted U.S. industries that were not protected by tar- iffs. Many imports become inputs into U.S. manufacturing. The motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson was already facing higher production costs as domestic steel producers raised their prices to accommodate the new steel tariff. A retaliatory tariff on its motorcycles imposed by the European Union further raised its prices and hurt its export business. Harm to such innocent bystanders was another unin- tended (though foreseen) consequence.

Department of Labor and Related Agencies

Minimal

Vector: 50%

Pages: 645-647AI Enhanced

AI Analysis:

"The bill seeks a commemorative stamp for the Buffalo Soldiers, a symbolic historical tribute, while the Project 2025 labor section focuses on hiring priorities, visa fraud enforcement, and international labor standards—there is no substantive policy overlap."

Key themes:American workersveterans

— 613 — Department of Labor and Related Agencies l Congress must amend the law so that employers can again have the freedom to make hiring Americans a priority. Despite the significant advantages that preferring citizens over (work-authorized) aliens in hiring would provide to American workers, businesses, and the country at large, such a practice has been illegal since 1986.25 This makes no sense. Alternative View Some conservatives believe that the government has a duty to limit its spending in order to limit how much it takes from American families. This means that when the government spends money, it must find the most econom- ical and effective way to do so. Excessive government spending will be borne by American workers and families through reduced incomes and purchasing power. There may be good reasons to require a certain percentage of American workers on federal contracts, but those decisions should be based on economy and efficiency as opposed to arbitrary quotas. Visa Fraud. American businesses that commit visa fraud and hire illegal immi- grants should not be the beneficiaries of federal spending. But a 2020 report by the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) examined the depart- ment’s process for excluding employers who commit visa fraud and abuse from federal contracts and found much to be desired. l To protect the American workforce from unscrupulous immigration lawyers, employers, and labor brokers, the department must follow the recommendations of the OIG and institute more robust investigations for suspected visa fraud and speedier debarments for those found guilty. INTERNATIONAL LABOR POLICY Leveling the International Playing Field for Workers. As recent decades of intense import competition and offshoring have made clear, American workers suffer when the U.S. opens its markets to foreign nations’ minimal labor standards and exploitative conditions. While federal law already prohibits the importation of goods produced with forced labor, the prohibitions are toothless without effective means of enforcement and cover only the most basic of workers’ rights. The Trump Administration and its United States Trade Representative (USTR) took unprece- dented steps to redress the issue for workers. The U.S.–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) contained the strongest and most far-reaching labor provisions of any free trade agreement (FTA), with protections and commitments to reduce labor abuses and raise wages. It also established new modes of enforcement. For future FTAs, the USTR should replicate the labor provisions of USMCA, especially the provisions to: — 614 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise l Eliminate all forms of forced or compulsory labor. l Protect workers’ rights to organize and participate voluntarily in a union without employer interference or discrimination. l Create a rapid-response mechanism to provide for an independent panel investigation of denial of labor rights at covered facilities. l Shift the burden of proof by presuming that an alleged violation affects trade and investment, unless otherwise demonstrated. For future authorizations of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), the President should urge Congress to: l Create mechanisms for supply-chain transparency. l Institute a general prohibition on forced labor conditions. Investigate Foreign Labor Violations That Undermine American Work- ers. The United States’ embrace of globalization has exposed American workers to unfair competition from nations with cheap, abundant, and often exploited labor. American workers have, as a consequence, seen their earning power erode. While negotiating stronger trade agreements with robust labor provisions should be the primary tool with which to regulate international labor competition, the federal government can also take steps to identify the worst labor abuses and rule breakers. DOL’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) plays a critical role in monitor- ing and enforcing the labor provisions of U.S. trade agreements and trade preference programs as well as investigating child labor and human trafficking violations. l The next Administration should focus ILAB investigations on foreign labor violations that do the most to damage American workers’ earning power, specifically regimes that engage in child and forced labor, fail to protect workers’ organizing rights, and permit hazardous or otherwise exploitative working conditions. Alternative/Additional View. Conservatives share a belief in protecting and pro- moting American workers and their families and orienting international policies with Americans’ interests first. Some conservatives believe that the best way to put Amer- ica first is by making America more attractive. In addition to restrictions imposed on other countries, removing existing barriers to American manufacturing, employ- ment, and commerce can help American workers, entrepreneurs, and families.

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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