Legislation

This bill disapproves and nullifies a Department of Energy rule concerning energy conservation standards for various consumer products and commercial equipment. The specific rule in question is identified in the Federal Register, volume 89, page 81994.

The PROTECT Act of 2025 expands the types of transactions subject to review by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to include certain real estate investments by foreign governments of concern. It mandates declaration filings for greenfield and brownfield investments, ensuring greater scrutiny of transactions that could pose national security risks. This includes investments where a foreign government of concern, or entities associated with them, could exert control over U.S. real estate and businesses.

This bill sets the rules for the House of Representatives to consider three separate measures: disapproving two Department of Energy rules on energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers/freezers and commercial refrigerators/freezers, and amending the Higher Education Act to strengthen disclosure requirements for foreign gifts and contracts while prohibiting contracts with certain foreign entities. It outlines debate times, amendment procedures, and waives certain procedural rules to expedite the consideration of these measures.

The Rural Water System Disaster Preparedness and Assistance Act aims to bolster the resilience of rural water and wastewater systems against natural and manmade disasters. It establishes an Emergency Preparedness and Response Technical Assistance Program, providing grants to eligible organizations to assist these systems in disaster preparation, response, and recovery through technical assistance, equipment, and coordination efforts. The program facilitates the development of disaster plans, vulnerability assessments, and infrastructure improvements, with a focus on supporting disadvantaged communities and ensuring the sustainability of essential water services. The Act authorizes \$20 million annually from 2025 to 2029 to fund these critical initiatives.

This joint resolution nullifies the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule regarding overdraft lending practices specifically for very large financial institutions. By disapproving the rule, the resolution prevents the rule from taking effect.

The Landowner Easement Rights Act limits conservation easement terms to a maximum of 30 years and allows landowners with existing easements to request detailed maps and fair market value assessments. It enables landowners to renegotiate easement terms, shorten the term, or buy back the easement at its current fair market value. The Secretary of Interior is required to notify landowners of these rights. The act defines "conservation easement" and "eligible conservation easement" for clarity.

The Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act aims to consolidate land ownership in Pershing County, Nevada, through land sales and exchanges, designate new wilderness areas while protecting existing uses, and transfer land to the Lovelock Paiute Tribe to be held in trust, with restrictions on gaming.

The NO FAKES Act of 2025 establishes a digital replication right, granting individuals control over the use of their voice and visual likeness in digital replicas. It defines the scope of this right, sets terms for its transfer and licensing, and addresses unauthorized use, including safe harbors for online service providers. The act outlines civil action frameworks, remedies for violations, and preempts certain state laws, while clarifying that it does not require online service providers to monitor their services. It aims to protect individuals' digital identities while allowing for certain exceptions like news and parody.

The Women's Retirement Protection Act aims to bolster women's financial security in retirement by increasing spousal protection under defined contribution plans, ensuring access to independent consumer information, and providing grants to promote financial literacy and assist low-income women and survivors of domestic violence in obtaining qualified domestic relations orders. The bill amends the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 and Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require spousal consent for certain distributions from individual account plans, with specific exceptions. It also mandates financial service providers to offer links to the CFPB's retirement planning resources and allocates funds for community-based organizations to enhance women's financial literacy and assist with qualified domestic relations orders.

This resolution recognizes the increasing global threats to press and speech freedoms, emphasizing the critical role of a free press in upholding democracy and informing the public. It reaffirms the U.S. government's commitment to prioritizing press freedom as a key component of its foreign policy and human rights efforts. The resolution condemns violence and oppression against journalists worldwide, calling for accountability and the release of wrongfully detained reporters, and urges the President and Secretary of State to actively defend and promote press freedom internationally.

This bill modifies the requirements for transferring U.S. defense articles and services among the Baltic states (Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia). It allows these states to transfer defense items to each other without prior U.S. approval, and mandates the Secretary of Defense to establish a common coalition key for sharing ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) to enhance their joint training and operational capabilities.

This resolution designates March 24, 2025, as National Women of Color in Tech Day to recognize the vital contributions of women of color in technology. It aims to address underrepresentation and opportunity gaps in STEM fields by promoting diversity, inclusion, and support for STEM education, particularly for women of color. The resolution calls for increased investment in educational institutions and improved data collection to foster a more diverse and competitive tech workforce. It also encourages the President and Congress to collaborate on strategies to enhance diversity and inclusion in STEM education and the workforce.

The "Law Enforcement Solidarity Act" aims to withhold certain federal funds from jurisdictions that hinder cooperation with federal law enforcement on immigration matters. It defines "jurisdictions with law enforcement cooperation restrictions" as those with laws, policies, or practices preventing their entities from assisting federal law enforcement officers. The Attorney General is required to submit an annual report identifying these jurisdictions to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. This act would affect federal funds intended for aliens unlawfully present in the U.S. under immigration laws.

The "Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act of 2025" repeals a section of the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998. This change eliminates a requirement related to drug testing procedures for individuals on probation, parole, or supervised release. The repeal aims to shift drug policy towards evidence-based approaches.

The "Emerging Digital Identity Ecosystem Report Act of 2025" mandates the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator to deliver a report to Congress on digital identity ecosystems. This report will detail the current status, benefits, and risks of these ecosystems in transportation, with a focus on enhancing homeland security and U.S. competitiveness. It also emphasizes incorporating insights from the private sector, as well as State, local, Tribal, and territorial governments.

The "Safety Starts at the Top Act of 2025" mandates that large aviation companies with over $15 billion in revenue, who are authorized by the FAA to perform certain delegated functions, must include labor and aerospace safety representatives on their boards. These companies must annually certify to the FAA that their board includes two representatives from labor organizations and two representatives with proven aerospace safety experience. The FAA will rescind the authorization of any company not meeting these requirements.

The "Medicaid Empowerment Act of 2025" amends Section 1915 of the Social Security Act to extend renewal periods for specific Medicaid home and community-based services waivers and state plan amendments. This change affects subsections (c)(3), (h)(2), and (i)(7)(C) of the Act.

The CLEAR Skies Act incentivizes the production and sale of unleaded aviation gasoline through a tax credit for producers, aiming to reduce lead exposure. The credit amount varies annually from 2026 to 2030. It also directs the Comptroller General to study the price and market dynamics of unleaded aviation gas and report findings to Congress.

The EASE Act requires the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test a "Specialty Health Care Services Access Model." This model will use provider networks and digital tools to deliver specialty health care services to eligible Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in rural and underserved areas, coordinating with their primary care providers. The provider networks must include a minimum of 50 Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics, Critical Access Hospitals, or Rural Emergency Hospitals, with at least half in rural areas, and meet other specified criteria.

The "MIDWIVES for Service Members Act of 2025" directs the Department of Defense to establish a five-year pilot program within the TRICARE program to provide services from certified midwives to covered beneficiaries. The Secretary of Defense must submit an implementation plan and annual reports to Congress assessing the program's cost, quality of care, patient satisfaction, and overall effectiveness. The reports will also include recommendations on whether to make the program permanent.