Legislation

The "Enhancing Domestic Drug Manufacturing Competitiveness Act" mandates a study by the Comptroller General to identify regulatory barriers hindering pharmaceutical manufacturing in the U.S. compared to other countries. The study will assess the impact of regulations on costs, delays, and supply chain resilience. It will also explore technological solutions and policy recommendations to streamline regulations and boost domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. A report with findings and recommendations must be submitted to Congress within one year.

The Presidential Legacy Act officially renames the federal holiday on the third Monday of February from "Washington's Birthday" to "Presidents Day." This act mandates that all federal laws, rules, regulations, and official documents be updated to reflect this change, ensuring consistent recognition of the holiday as Presidents Day.

The "Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2025" aims to boost the number of physicians practicing in rural areas by establishing a new payment system to support medical resident training in those locations. This includes an "elective rural sustainability per resident payment" to hospitals training residents in rural areas and adjusts graduate medical education funding to further support rural training programs. The Act ensures that hospitals training residents in rural areas receive additional financial support, without being subject to existing program limitations, to cover the costs of training. It also includes provisions to maintain budget neutrality within Medicare's medical education spending.

The "Health Care Provider Shortage Minimization Act of 2025" aims to address healthcare provider shortages by clarifying the tax status of qualified locum tenens physicians and advanced care practitioners. It ensures that these temporary healthcare providers are not classified as employees for tax purposes, provided they meet specific conditions such as working under a written contract and for no more than one continuous year at a service site. This clarification applies to services performed after the Act's enactment.

The "Improving Measurements for Loneliness and Isolation Act of 2025" establishes a federal working group to create standard definitions and measurements for loneliness and isolation. This group will develop guidelines for use in public and private research and assess current measurement methods. The goal is to improve understanding and strategic responses to loneliness and isolation. The working group will submit a report to Congress with its findings and recommendations.

This bill authorizes the Department of State to protect its facilities and assets from drone threats by detecting, tracking, disrupting, and, if necessary, destroying drones. It mandates coordination with agencies like the FAA and FCC, requires adherence to constitutional protections, and includes congressional oversight through regular briefings and funding reports. The authorization terminates after seven years.

The Fair Disaster Assistance Act of 2025 prevents FEMA from sending disaster assistance denial notices to applicants before their insurance claims are fully processed. This ensures individuals are not prematurely denied assistance while awaiting insurance determinations. The Act directs FEMA to establish regulations to implement this change.

The "Collision Avoidance Systems Act of 2025" permits and sets performance standards for pulsating light systems on vehicles to help prevent rear-end collisions. It mandates the Secretary of Transportation to update Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 108 within 180 days to include these systems. The bill defines a pulsating light system as a high-mounted stop lamp that pulses rapidly up to 4 times within 1.2 seconds upon braking before converting to a continuous light.

The "Combating Rural Inflation Act" directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics to create a monthly Consumer Price Index for Rural Consumers, starting in January 2026. This index will track changes in typical spending for people living in rural communities in the United States.

This bill ensures that offering portable benefits, like health insurance or retirement savings that workers can take with them between jobs, will not be used to classify them as employees under federal law. The bill defines portable benefits as work-related benefits, such as health insurance, retirement savings, or paid leave, that an individual can retain even when they change jobs. This clarification aims to encourage the provision of such benefits without affecting worker classification status.

The REPLACE Act requires the President to waive fees for individuals needing to replace critical documents, such as passports and licenses, after a major disaster. It also directs the Secretary of State and the Director of USCIS to post notices about the availability of these waivers and submit annual reports to Congress on the number of waivers granted and associated costs.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and countering its support for terrorism by imposing sanctions on those involved in Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

The Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act facilitates land conveyances and sales in Nevada for public purposes like affordable housing and conservation. It transfers federal land to tribes and local entities, designating new wilderness areas and national conservation areas while also releasing some areas for potential development. The act also allows for voluntary donation of grazing permits to the Bureau of Land Management. This legislation aims to balance conservation, recreation, and economic development in the region.

The "Keep China Out of Solar Energy Act of 2025" prohibits federal funds from being used to procure solar panels manufactured or assembled by entities based in or controlled by the Chinese government, with a waiver option available under specific conditions. It mandates the development of standards and guidelines for executive agencies and requires amendments to the Federal Acquisition Regulation to implement these prohibitions. Additionally, the Act requires a report from the Comptroller General on past solar panel purchases from covered entities and a study on the state of solar panel production, technology, and supply chains.

The "No Social Security for Illegal Aliens Act of 2025" amends the Social Security Act to exclude wages and self-employment income earned by unauthorized aliens in the U.S. from being used to calculate Social Security benefits. This change applies to income earned both before, on, and after the law's enactment, with benefit adjustments taking effect after enactment. The Social Security Administration will recalculate insurance amounts to reflect these changes.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that Nigeria should be designated as a Country of Particular Concern due to severe violations of religious freedom. It urges the Nigerian government to protect religious minorities, prosecute those responsible for violence, and ensure religious freedom. The resolution also calls for increased U.S. diplomatic efforts and potential sanctions on individuals and groups responsible for religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

The "Great Lakes Mass Marking Program Act of 2025" establishes a program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to mass mark hatchery fish in the Great Lakes. This program aims to evaluate the success of fish hatchery operations and fisheries management, supporting the recovery of native species, recreational fishing, and the Great Lakes regional economy. The Act authorizes $5,000,000 annually from 2026 through 2030 for program implementation, including equipment, tagging, personnel, and data sharing among stakeholders. This collaborative effort will involve federal, state, and tribal agencies to improve fisheries management and ecosystem restoration in the Great Lakes.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 300 Macedonia Lane in Knoxville, Tennessee, as the "Reverend Harold Middlebrook Post Office Building." It mandates that all references to this facility in any legal or official documents of the United States will now refer to it by this new name.

The "Agricultural and Forestry Hauling Efficiency Act" enables Virginia to issue special permits for agricultural vehicles, allowing them to operate on the Interstate System with a weight of up to 90,000 pounds. These permits apply to vehicles transporting unprocessed agricultural crops or raw forest products.

The Vehicle Energy Performance Act of 2025 incentivizes the purchase of high-energy performance vehicles through a tax credit based on exceeding the median energy performance of the previous model year, while disincentivizing the purchase of low-energy performance vehicles through a fee on manufacturers. It also refines fuel economy testing and labeling for dual-fueled vehicles to reflect real-world usage. The tax credit is capped at \$5,000, and the low energy performance fee starts in model year 2029.