Legislation

The Saving Lives and Taxpayer Dollars Act aims to ensure that valuable U.S. foreign assistance, such as food and medicine, reaches those in need rather than being destroyed. This legislation prohibits the voluntary destruction of usable aid commodities nearing expiration. Instead, it mandates that agencies must exhaust all options, including immediate donation or delivery, before disposal, while requiring annual reports detailing any wasted supplies.

The VERY Act of 2025, or Veterans Employment Readiness Yield Act of 2025, aims to modernize the language used in federal statutes concerning veteran employment. Specifically, this bill updates Title 38 of the U.S. Code by replacing the term "employment handicap" with the term "employment barrier." This change standardizes the terminology used when discussing challenges veterans face in the job market.

The Equal Opportunity for All Investors Act of 2025 mandates that the SEC create a comprehensive certification examination to allow non-wealthy individuals to qualify as accredited investors. Passing this free, standardized test will grant access to investment opportunities previously reserved for the wealthy. This aims to broaden participation in private markets by ensuring a baseline level of financial competency among new investors.

The Farmers First Act of 2025 significantly strengthens support for agricultural producers by enhancing the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. This legislation increases annual funding for the network and mandates the inclusion of dedicated crisis lines within supported programs. Furthermore, it formalizes partnerships between grant recipients and various healthcare providers to ensure comprehensive access to mental health and substance use treatment for farmers and ranchers.

The OFAC Licensure for Investigators Act establishes a temporary pilot program allowing private companies to obtain licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to conduct small, specific financial transactions for investigative purposes. This program requires close coordination with FinCEN and mandates detailed monthly reporting from participating firms. The OFAC Director must also provide annual public and classified reports to Congress regarding the program's operation and effectiveness until its scheduled five-year expiration.

This Act authorizes the conveyance of approximately 3,400 acres of specified Bureau of Land Management (BLM) federal land in La Paz County, Arizona, to the County. The transfer requires the County to pay fair market value and adhere to strict conditions protecting cultural and environmental resources. Furthermore, the recipient must agree to protect Native American artifacts in consultation with the Colorado River Indian Tribes.

This bill establishes a Senior Investor Taskforce within the SEC to identify and address financial challenges facing investors over 65, including scams and cognitive decline issues. It also mandates a comprehensive Government Accountability Office (GAO) study on the economic costs and response mechanisms related to financial exploitation of older adults. The Taskforce will report its findings and recommendations to Congress every two years before automatically terminating after ten years.

This bill, officially titled the Aligning SEC Regulations for the World Bank’s International Development Association Act, exempts securities issued or guaranteed by the International Development Association (IDA) from most standard registration and disclosure requirements under federal securities laws. While generally exempt, the IDA must still file appropriate reports with the SEC, subject to the Commission's oversight. This exemption takes effect after 30 days, unless the Treasury Secretary certifies that the IDA is providing aid to countries supporting international terrorism.

The Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act revises the federal cost-sharing requirements for the Arkansas Valley Conduit project in Colorado. It mandates that repayment for the conduit will equal 35% of the total cost, with flexible repayment terms for local entities based on financial hardship. Furthermore, the bill ensures local parties assume full responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the water system.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of a specific rule recently issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning hazardous air pollutant emissions from coke ovens. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, Congress is effectively rejecting the EPA's proposed standards for pushing, quenching, battery stacks, and technology reviews related to coke oven batteries. Consequently, the disapproved regulation will not take effect.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's formal disapproval of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) interim final rule concerning National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for integrated iron and steel manufacturing facilities. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this action immediately voids the specified EPA rule, preventing it from taking legal effect.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's formal disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule concerning West Virginia's plan to control regional haze for its second implementation period. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this resolution immediately nullifies the EPA's submitted rule. Consequently, the specific West Virginia Regional Haze State Implementation Plan is canceled.

The Eliminating Thickets to Increase Competition Act (ETHIC Act) aims to curb anticompetitive practices in the pharmaceutical industry by limiting the number of patent lawsuits brand-name drug companies can file against generic or biosimilar challengers. Specifically, it restricts litigants to asserting only one patent per defined "Patent Group" in a single lawsuit against a specific challenger. This measure is designed to prevent the strategic filing of numerous, overlapping patent suits intended to delay market entry for competing drugs.

The Unsubscribe Act of 2025 significantly increases consumer protection regarding "negative option" subscriptions, such as automatic renewals and free trials that convert to paid services. This legislation mandates that businesses must obtain explicit, informed consent before charging consumers and provide a simple, electronic mechanism for cancellation if the service was signed up for online. Furthermore, the Act requires clear upfront disclosure of all terms and ongoing reminders about contract status and cancellation procedures. Enforcement will be handled by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general.

The Counternarcotics Enhancement Act mandates that U.S. intelligence agencies report on their current cooperation with the Mexican government regarding counternarcotics efforts, including associated risks and strategies for improvement. The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) must then consolidate these reports and submit a comprehensive action plan to Congress. This process aims to enhance coordination and cooperation between the U.S. and Mexico in combating drug trafficking.

This Act authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to mint and issue a limited series of commemorative gold, silver, and clad coins to honor the history and service of the United States Foreign Service. The coins must be issued in 2029, with designs approved after consultation with the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. All surcharges collected from the sale of these coins will be directed to that Association to support its mission of preserving diplomatic history. The Treasury must fully recover all production and issuance costs before any surcharge funds are distributed.

The Modern Worker Empowerment Act amends the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) to standardize the definition of an "employee" using traditional common law rules. This change clarifies the legal standard for determining employment relationships under federal wage and hour protections.

This bill mandates the U.S. Postal Service to establish and assign a new, unique ZIP Code for eight specific communities across the country. These communities include locations in California, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, and Wyoming. The Postal Service has 270 days from the bill's enactment to complete the assignment of these new mailing addresses.

The SMART Act mandates that FEMA conduct a comprehensive study to evaluate the effectiveness, cost savings, and strategic impact of its national hazard mitigation programs. This study must analyze financial benefits, community preparedness, insurance impacts, and infrastructure resilience. FEMA is required to report these findings annually to Congress and make the results publicly available online to ensure transparency and inform future program improvements.

The PREP Repeal Act aims to eliminate liability protections previously granted to manufacturers of products used during public health emergencies. This legislation repeals specific sections of the Public Health Service Act that shielded entities from lawsuits related to pandemic countermeasures. Crucially, the Act preserves the right of individuals to sue for injuries caused by drugs, devices, or countermeasures developed or administered during a crisis.