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Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) released the following statement after four of his bills, the No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act, Passports for Purple Hearts and Medals of Honor Act, Tech Diplomacy Training Act, and FORGE Act, passed out of the House Foreign Affairs Committee yesterday, as part of a comprehensive package to modernize U.S. State Department policies.
 
“I am proud to see my legislation pass out of the full House Foreign Affairs Committee,” said Congressman Baird. “These bills will ensure Americans’ tax dollars are not funneled to entities like the Palestine Liberation Organization as it continues to commit human rights violations and incite acts of terrorism; train our nation’s top diplomats in emerging technologies; secure America’s global leadership in nuclear technology; and eliminate financial burdens for decorated veterans who apply for a passport. This legislation is critical to strengthening our national security and America’s standing on the global stage. I thank Chairman Mast for his continued leadership and commitment to putting American interests first in our foreign policy, and I hope this legislation passes the full U.S. House soon.” 
 
Background:
H.R.3208 — No Official Palestine Entry (NOPE) Act of 2025: Expands existing funding prohibitions to include organizations in the United Nations (UN) that afford status, rights, or privileges to the Palestinian Authority (PA) or Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) beyond observer status.

H.R.7398 — Passports for Purple Hearts and Medals of Honor Act: Eliminates passport book fees for Purple Heart and Medal of Honor recipients.

H.R.8212 — Tech Diplomacy Training Act: Ensures all Foreign Service officers receive training on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) concepts prior to being stationed abroad, and makes the same training available and encouraged for all other U.S. State Department employees.

H.R. 8648 — FORGE Act: Secures the United States’ global leadership in Small Modular Reactor (SMR) technology and implements American safety, security, and nonproliferation standards. The FORGE Act also codifies a U.S. State Department program, the Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (FIRST) program, designed to deepen strategic ties with partner nations on secure and safe nuclear energy infrastructure.