H.R. 91House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Freedom for Farmers Act of 2025

Sponsored by Andy BiggsRep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ)
Introduced January 3, 2025

AI-Generated Summary

Updated November 24, 2025 at 9:42 PM UTC

The Freedom for Farmers Act of 2025 would shut down the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, moving its core functions—maintaining national health and exposure registries—to another agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. It sets a one‑year period for winding down ATSDR’s operations and amends many other laws to remove ATSDR references, effectively eliminating the agency from the federal government.

Key Provisions

  • Eliminates the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) one year after the bill becomes law.
  • Requires the HHS Secretary to move ATSDR’s duties—maintaining a national registry of serious diseases and of people exposed to toxic substances—to another HHS agency before the agency is abolished.
  • During the one‑year “wind‑up” period, the HHS Secretary must handle the closure of ATSDR’s programs, finish any outstanding government obligations, and manage the transfer of assets, staff, and records.
  • Updates dozens of existing federal statutes (including CERCLA, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Clean Air Act, and various water and waste laws) to delete references to ATSDR and reflect the transfer of its responsibilities.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

January 3, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 3, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

January 3, 2025

Floor Debate

9 members

What members said about H.R. 91 on the floor

4 Republicans5 Democrats
Jamie Raskin
Rep. Jamie RaskinD-MD-8 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the gentleman's bill is not to give Congress the power to undo midnight rules because Congress already has that…

Andy Biggs
Rep. Andy BiggsR-AZ-5 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 122, I call up 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…

Kevin Kiley
Rep. Kevin KileyR-CA-3 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, to my friend from Maryland, I would say that one of the nice things about this bill that we are considering is that it allows us--if there are any good Biden-era regulations out there,…

Sara Jacobs
Rep. Sara JacobsD-CA-51 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Midnight Rules Relief Act, which would strip away the robust debate, careful deliberation, and transparency our democracy requires when considering the repeal…

Jerrold Nadler
Rep. Jerrold NadlerD-NY-12 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H.R. 77, the so-called Midnight Rules Relief Act. Despite the bill's title, this legislation is not really…

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Eric A. "Rick" Crawford
Rep. Eric A. "Rick" CrawfordR-AR-1 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, today I was unable to vote in the afternoon due to attending an event at the White House that was during voting time. Had I been present, I would have voted NAY on Roll Call No. 40 and…

Josh Gottheimer
Rep. Josh GottheimerD-NJ-5 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, I missed the following votes, but had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 40 and NAY on Roll Call No. 41.

Laura Gillen
Rep. Laura GillenD-NY-4 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, had I been present, I would have voted YEA on Roll Call No. 40.

Russell Fry
Rep. Russell FryR-SC-7 · Feb 12, 2025

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 3, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 91

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 3, 2025

Mr. Biggs of Arizona introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To abolish the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Freedom for Farmers Act of 2025.

2.

Abolishment of Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

(a)

Abolishment of Agency

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (in this section referred to as the Agency) is abolished effective on the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.

(b)

Termination of functions

Except as provided in subsection (c)(1), all functions of the Agency shall terminate on the date specified in subsection (a).

(c)

Transferred authority

(1)

In general

Prior to the date specified in subsection (a), the Secretary of Health and Human Services (in this section referred to as the Secretary) shall transfer the authority vested in the Agency by section 104(i)(1)(A) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9604(i)(1)(A)) as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of this Act (relating to a national registry of serious diseases and illnesses and a national registry of persons exposed to toxic substances) to an appropriate agency within the Department of Health and Human Services.

(2)

Corresponding transfer of assets and personnel

In connection with the transfer of authority under paragraph (1), the Secretary may transfer within the Department of Health and Human Services such assets, funds, personnel, records, and other property relating to the transferred authority as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

(d)

Wind-Up period

(1)

Definition

In this subsection, the term wind-up period means the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on the date specified in subsection (a).

(2)

Responsibilities

The Secretary shall be responsible for—

(A)

the administration and wind-up, during the wind-up period, of all functions of the Agency that are terminated by this section;

(B)

the administration and wind-up, during the wind-up period, of any outstanding obligations of the Federal Government under any programs of the Agency that are terminated by this section; and

(C)

taking such other actions as may be necessary to wind-up any outstanding affairs of the Agency before the end of the wind-up period.

3.

Conforming amendments

(a)

CERCLA

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) is amended—

(1)

in section 104 (42 U.S.C. 9604), by amending subsection (i) to read as follows:

(i)

The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall, in cooperation with the States, maintain a national registry of serious diseases and illnesses and a national registry of persons exposed to toxic substances.

;

(2)

in section 111 (42 U.S.C. 9611)—

(A)

by striking subsection (c)(4); and

(B)

by striking subsection (m); and

(3)

in section 310(a)(2) (42 U.S.C. 9659(a)(2)), by striking and the Administrator of the ATSDR.

(b)

Other conforming changes

(1)

Section 2704 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by striking subsection (f).

(2)

Section 405(d)(1) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2601(d)(1)) is amended by striking acting through the Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,.

(3)

Section 209(c)(1)(A) of the Fire Administration Authorization Act of 1992 (29 U.S.C. 671a(c)(1)(A)) is amended by striking the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,.

(4)

Section 118(e)(3)(A) of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1268(e)(3)(A)) is amended by striking , in consultation with the Research Office, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and Great Lakes States and inserting , in consultation with the Research Office and Great Lakes States,.

(5)

Section 317F(a) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–7(a)) is amended—

(A)

in paragraph (1), by striking and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; and

(B)

in paragraph (2), by striking or the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

(6)

Section 399S of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–7) is amended—

(A)

in subsection (b)(1)(A)(i)—

(i)

by inserting and at the end of subclause (II);

(ii)

by striking subclause (III); and

(iii)

by redesignating subclause (IV) as subclause (III); and

(B)

in subsection (d)(1)(A)—

(i)

by striking clause (iv); and

(ii)

by redesignating clauses (v) through (vii) as clauses (iv) through (vi), respectively.

(7)

Section 399V–6(e)(5) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 280g–17(e)(5)) is amended by striking and the Assessments of Chemical Exposures Program of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

(8)

Section 3(c) of the ICCVAM Authorization Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 285l–3(c)) is amended—

(A)

by striking paragraph (1); and

(B)

by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (16) as paragraphs (1) through (15), respectively.

(9)

Section 2201(e) of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–12 note) is amended by striking the Director of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry of each place it appears.

(10)

Section 2203 of the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (42 U.S.C. 300j–27) is amended—

(A)

in subsection (b), by striking within the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at the discretion of the Secretary and inserting within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and

(B)

in subsection (c)(1)(A), by striking , within the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.

(11)

Section 709(a)(7) of the Security and Accountability for Every Port Act of 2006 (42 U.S.C. 300hh–14(a)(7)) is amended by striking the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,.

(12)

Section 3001 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6921(b)(1)) is amended by striking the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and.

(13)

Section 3019 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6939a) is amended—

(A)

by striking subsections (b) through (g); and

(B)

in subsection (a), by striking the subsection designation and heading.

(14)

Section 103(d)(2)(A) of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7403(d)(2)(A)) is amended by striking the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry,.

(c)

Applicability

The amendments made by this section apply beginning on the date specified in section 2(a).