Legislation

The Affordable Housing Bond Enhancement Act aims to increase affordable housing options by modifying existing tax code related to mortgage revenue bonds and mortgage credit certificates. These changes include easing refinancing restrictions, increasing limits on home improvement loans, revising recapture tax calculations, and modifying credit calculations for interest paid on certified indebtedness. The Act also extends the period for mortgage credit certificates to be in effect and allows for easier revocation of elections to issue these certificates, alongside adjusting public notice requirements and shifting reporting responsibilities from lenders to certificate issuers. Additionally, the bill mandates more detailed reporting on bond usage and provides greater flexibility in using carryforward bond authority for housing-related purposes.

This resolution celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry, recognizing its historical significance and cultural impact. It acknowledges the Opry's role in shaping country music and establishing Nashville as its capital. The resolution commemorates the Opry's legacy and congratulates its artists and members on this milestone.

The Vietnam Human Rights Act aims to integrate human rights considerations into all interactions between the U.S. and Vietnam, emphasizing that improvements in human rights are crucial for trade, security, and economic development. It mandates sanctions for Vietnamese government officials and other foreign individuals responsible for human rights abuses, significant corruption, online censorship and surveillance, and severe violations of religious freedom. The Act also focuses on combating online censorship and surveillance in Vietnam, promoting internet freedom, and supporting individuals who are being censored. Finally, the Act urges the Secretary of State to designate Vietnam as a Country of Particular Concern for religious freedom and requires annual reports on U.S.-Vietnam human rights dialogue meetings.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury selection. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act seeks to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ+ individuals and women across various sectors.

**Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 Summary:** This bill aims to expand and improve the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program by updating state allocation formulas, reforming tenant eligibility requirements, and modifying credit eligibility rules. It also focuses on increasing affordable housing opportunities for Native Americans and in rural areas. Additionally, the bill updates terminology in the Internal Revenue Code to replace "low-income" with "affordable" when referring to housing tax credits, and promotes data sharing and discourages discriminatory land use policies to enhance transparency and effectiveness.

This bill mandates the Social Security Administration to send regular paper statements to Social Security account holders, beginning January 1, 2027. Statements will be mailed upon entering the workforce or starting a new job, with increasing frequency as individuals age, and provides an option for individuals to opt out of receiving the paper statements. The bill also authorizes Congress to allocate necessary funds to cover the administrative costs of implementing these changes, starting in fiscal year 2026.

The "Streamlining Critical Mineral Permitting Act" amends the Solid Waste Disposal Act to expedite interim hazardous waste permits for critical energy resource facilities. It defines critical energy resources as essential to the U.S. energy sector and vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, as determined by the Secretary of Energy. This act aims to bolster the domestic processing and refining of these resources.

The "ESOP Funding for SBA Position Act of 2025" establishes a position within the Small Business Administration to assist small businesses in creating employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). This position will advise businesses on ESOP creation, compliance, and funding, and will coordinate with other organizations to provide tailored assistance. The SBA Administrator must submit an annual report to Congress detailing the activities and impact of this position. The act authorizes $500,000 for the fiscal year of enactment to fund this initiative.

The "Investment Accelerator Act of 2025" establishes the United States Investment Accelerator within the Department of Commerce to expedite and support investments exceeding $1 billion in the U.S. The Accelerator helps investors navigate federal regulations, access national resources, and collaborate with state governments to lower investment barriers. It requires the Executive Director to report annually to Congress on the Accelerator's activities.

The "Find It Early Act" aims to improve early breast cancer detection by requiring health insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and Veterans Affairs, to cover additional breast screenings and diagnostic imaging without cost-sharing for individuals at higher risk or who need it due to age, race, ethnicity, or family history, starting in 2026. This ensures that more women have access to potentially life-saving screenings, regardless of their ability to pay. By removing financial barriers, the Act seeks to promote early detection and improve outcomes for those at risk of breast cancer.

The Strengthening Local Processing Act of 2025 aims to support smaller meat and poultry establishments by providing resources for food safety planning, increasing the federal share of state inspection expenses, and expanding interstate shipment opportunities. It also establishes a grant program to enhance processing resilience and career training programs to develop a skilled workforce in the meat and poultry processing sector. The act focuses on improving the capacity and safety of local processing facilities, ensuring a more resilient and diversified meat supply chain.

The "New Start Act of 2025" aims to reduce recidivism and unemployment among formerly incarcerated individuals by promoting entrepreneurship. It directs the Small Business Administration (SBA) to award grants to organizations that provide entrepreneurship training and counseling to both formerly and currently incarcerated individuals. The act requires the SBA to coordinate with the Bureau of Prisons and ensure equitable distribution of grants, prioritizing applicants based on various factors, including ties to the justice-impacted community and the ability to provide ongoing programming. Finally, the Act mandates annual reports to Congress and a GAO evaluation to assess the program's effectiveness.

The "Quinault Indian Nation Land Transfer Act" transfers approximately 72 acres of land in Washington State from the Forest Service to the Department of the Interior, to be held in trust for the Quinault Indian Nation. This land will become part of the Quinault Indian Reservation but is not eligible for gaming under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. The transfer does not affect existing treaty rights. The Secretary of the Interior must disclose information about hazardous materials on the land but is not required to remediate them.

The Shivwits Band of Paiutes Jurisdictional Clarity Act clarifies legal jurisdiction involving the Shivwits Band of Paiutes, granting the State of Utah civil jurisdiction over lawsuits involving the Band on Indian lands. It affirms that contracts and agreements involving the Band fall under federal commerce definitions, while also upholding the Band's sovereign immunity unless explicitly waived. Additionally, it grants the Shivwits Band of Paiutes the same leasing authority as other tribes by amending title 25 of the US Code.

The Cahokia Mounds Mississippian Culture Study Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, the Emerald Mounds, and the Pulcher Mounds to evaluate their national significance and determine the feasibility of designating the area as a unit of the National Park System. The study will also consider other preservation alternatives and cost estimates, and the Secretary must submit a report to Congress with the study's findings and recommendations within 3 years of funding availability.

The "Camp Nelson National Monument Boundary Expansion Act" allows the Department of Interior to acquire roughly 132 acres of land to be included in the Camp Nelson National Monument. Additionally, this bill officially changes the name of the monument from "Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument" to "Camp Nelson National Monument".

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights laws to explicitly include protections against discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in areas such as public accommodations, employment, housing, credit, and jury service. It clarifies and expands the definition of sex to include sex stereotypes, pregnancy, childbirth, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics, including intersex traits. The act ensures equal access to shared facilities and prohibits the use of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 to justify discrimination. Ultimately, the Equality Act aims to provide consistent and comprehensive protections against discrimination for LGBTQ individuals and women across various aspects of life.

The West Bank Violence Prevention Act of 2025 authorizes the President to impose sanctions, including asset blocking and visa restrictions, on foreign individuals and entities found to be threatening the peace, security, or stability of the West Bank, particularly those involved in violence against civilians, property destruction, or terrorism. It requires the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the Secretary of State, to provide regular reports to Congress on the implementation of these sanctions.

The "Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Reauthorization Act" amends the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018, compelling the disclosure of all federal, state, and local government records related to civil rights cold cases to inform the public. It allows the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board to reimburse state and local governments for expenses related to transmitting civil rights cold case records to the Archivist for inclusion in the Collection. Additionally, it extends the Review Board's tenure from 7 to 11 years.

The "Health Savings and Affordability for Fertility Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow individuals to use health savings accounts (HSAs) for fertility treatments. Fertility treatments include procedures such as egg, sperm, or embryo preservation, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, fertility medications, and gamete donation. This change enables individuals to use pre-tax dollars in their HSA accounts to cover the costs of fertility treatments. The amendments apply to expenses paid or incurred after the enactment date of this Act.