Legislation

The Service-Disabled Veteran Opportunities in Small Business Act aims to increase federal contract awards to small businesses owned and controlled by service-disabled veterans. It mandates that the Small Business Administrator provide specialized training to any agency failing to meet its established contract goals for these businesses. Furthermore, the Act requires the Administrator to issue best practices guidance and report annually to Congress on agency compliance and training efforts.

The Recovery of Stolen Checks Act allows taxpayers whose original IRS refund check was lost or stolen to elect to receive their replacement refund via direct deposit. This change provides an alternative to receiving a second paper check for the lost funds. The Treasury Department must establish the necessary procedures for this election.

The Creative Relief and Expensing for Audio and Television Enterprises (CREATE) Act modifies tax benefits for qualified film and media productions by significantly increasing current spending caps. It also introduces automatic inflation adjustments for these limits starting in 2027 and extends the program's eligibility deadline from 2025 to 2030. These changes aim to provide greater financial support and stability for the audio and television industries.

The Empowering App-Based Workers Act aims to increase transparency and accountability for digital labor platforms by requiring detailed disclosures about electronic monitoring, automated decision-making, and pay calculations. The bill establishes strict limits on platform "take rates" for ride-hailing services and prohibits the use of personal data to unfairly set compensation. Furthermore, it grants app-based workers new enforcement rights, including the ability to sue for violations and invalidates pre-dispute arbitration clauses.

The Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act aims to improve support for residents in long-term care facilities. This bill updates volunteer training standards for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to ensure relevance and efficiency. It also mandates that the Director of the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs serve in a full-time capacity. Finally, the Act calls for a comprehensive study on the effectiveness and staffing ratios of state Ombudsman programs.

The Working Waterfront Disaster Mitigation Tax Credit Act establishes a new federal tax credit for investments made to protect waterfront businesses from natural disasters. This credit equals 30% of qualified investments in eligible mitigation projects, subject to an annual cap of $300,000 per taxpayer. Qualifying projects must utilize specific hazard reduction techniques to protect property used for water-dependent commercial activities.

The Safeguarding American Tourism Act adjusts existing maritime laws, primarily exempting very large passenger vessels (800+ berths) from certain requirements under the Passenger Vessel Safety Act and the Jones Act regarding crewing and citizenship. Additionally, the bill clarifies the discretionary authority of officers regarding temporary landing permits for alien crewmen. This legislation ensures that these exemptions do not override other applicable U.S. laws governing coastwise trade.

The Global Investment in American Jobs Act of 2025 aims to boost U.S. economic competitiveness and national security by strategically attracting foreign direct investment from responsible entities in trusted nations. This legislation mandates a comprehensive review of current federal policies to streamline the process for this specific investment, particularly in high-tech sectors. The review must balance economic growth with safeguarding U.S. interests against threats posed by state-directed foreign entities, especially those linked to China. Ultimately, the bill seeks recommendations to enhance the U.S. investment climate while protecting American jobs and technology.

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Justice Grant Reauthorization Act extends the authorization period for key addiction and recovery justice programs. This legislation removes previous funding caps and extends the program authorization from 2023 to 2030. This ensures continued federal support for vital community-based justice initiatives addressing substance use disorders.

The Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025 expands reproductive and fertility preservation assistance for active-duty service members and provides comprehensive fertility treatment and adoption support for eligible veterans through the VA. This bill mandates coverage for fertility services, including IVF, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation, for both current service members and veterans. It also requires proactive measures, such as pre-deployment material preservation for service members and seamless care coordination between the DoD and VA.

The Pick Up After Your DOGE Act mandates that the U.S. DOGE Service report all its data access activities across other federal systems to Congress and the GAO. Furthermore, the Comptroller General is tasked with conducting security audits of the DOGE Service's systems and prioritizing reviews of high-impact agencies like Social Security and HHS. Agencies receiving audit reports must swiftly address identified vulnerabilities and report back on their remediation efforts.

The Federal Building Threat Notification Act mandates the Federal Protective Service (FPS) to establish clear, standardized emergency communication guidance for all federal tenants in protected buildings. This guidance must ensure rapid notification and safety instructions for occupants during law enforcement-related events, such as active threats or suspicious packages. The law also requires regular testing of these crisis response procedures and a final report to Congress detailing the new protocols.

The Open America's Ports Act significantly reforms maritime regulations by repealing domestic requirements under the Passenger Vessel Safety Act (PVSA). This legislation creates specific exemptions to the Jones Act requirements for vessels transporting passengers between U.S. ports, even if the itinerary includes a foreign stop. The bill also adjusts citizenship and crew requirements for these specified passenger vessels. Finally, it includes conforming amendments to ensure consistency across related maritime laws.

The EATS Act of 2025 revises eligibility rules for students seeking Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by clarifying the definition of a "bona fide student." This legislation removes specific restrictions that previously barred many higher education students from receiving SNAP. The changes, including technical renumbering of relevant sections, will take effect on January 2, 2026.

The CAP Act of 2025 eliminates the special exemption that allowed institutions of higher education to hire H-1B visa holders outside of the annual numerical cap. Under this new law, H-1B workers employed by colleges and universities will now be subject to the same annual numerical limits and lottery system as all other H-1B applicants. This change standardizes the process for foreign nationals seeking employment in higher education roles.

The Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act mandates that the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the OMB, must now include an analysis of potential financial risks to the federal government from major national or international emergencies in their annual fiscal report. This new requirement forces an examination of the short-term and long-term financial impacts of various crises, such as recessions, pandemics, or cyber attacks. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will review the initial analysis to ensure the methodology is sound.

The Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act establishes a new federal funding stream to mandate that states set and meet minimum living wage standards for all school paraprofessionals and support staff. This legislation sets baseline minimum salaries and hourly wages, which increase with experience and are adjusted for inflation after 2030. States must apply for funding and create a four-year plan to ensure all local districts comply with these new pay requirements, using federal funds to supplement, not supplant, existing local education budgets.

The NCUA Central Liquidity Facility Enhancements Act grants the NCUA Board the authority to determine which credit unions are eligible to serve as agents within an agent group. This change updates existing law by replacing a specific list of eligible credit unions with broader discretionary power for the Board.

The Chairman James Mountain Inhofe Recognition Act of 2025 officially renames the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. This act ensures that the center will now be known as the James M. Inhofe Africa Center for Strategic Studies across all federal documents and records.

The ROTOR Act aims to enhance aviation safety and transparency, primarily by reforming exceptions for government aircraft not using ADSB Out location tracking. It mandates the installation of ADSB In technology on new and certain existing aircraft and initiates studies regarding dynamic restricted airspace near Washington D.C. The bill also requires increased reporting on ADSB usage exceptions and mandates an Army Inspector General audit of flight operations in the National Capitol Region.