Legislation

The NIH IMPROVE Act establishes a new initiative within the National Institutes of Health dedicated to significantly improving maternal health outcomes across the United States. This program will fund research and community-based interventions aimed at reducing preventable maternal deaths and severe complications. A key focus of the initiative is addressing and reducing existing health disparities among disproportionately affected populations before, during, and after pregnancy.

This bill mandates the Director of National Intelligence to develop a comprehensive strategy for coordinating and sharing intelligence related to critical and emerging technologies across the intelligence community. The strategy must also detail how this intelligence will be shared with relevant federal departments and agencies involved in regulation, research, and national security. The Director is required to report the completed strategy to the congressional intelligence committees shortly after its development.

The Health Savings Accounts For All Act of 2025 significantly expands access and utility for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). It dramatically increases annual contribution limits and removes the requirement that individuals must be enrolled in a High-Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) to contribute. Furthermore, the bill expands qualified medical expenses to include wellness items like gym memberships and vitamins, and allows for tax-free rollovers to parents or children.

This act extends the existing 6% interest rate cap under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to cover new student loan consolidation or refinancing debts incurred by servicemembers *during* their active military service. This protection specifically applies when servicemembers refinance pre-service student loans. The reduced interest rate takes effect immediately upon the creation of the new refinancing loan.

The Rural Hospital Flexibility Act of 2025 aims to strengthen rural healthcare infrastructure by expanding the uses of Medicare rural hospital flexibility program grants. This includes supporting the transition of critical access hospitals to rural emergency hospitals and providing assistance for graduate medical education recruitment. The bill also establishes new technical assistance grants and modifies the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program to streamline funding for eligible small rural hospitals.

This Act authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to proceed with a major medical facility project in St. Louis, Missouri, scheduled for Fiscal Year 2026. The project includes the construction of a new bed tower, clinical expansion, and supporting infrastructure. Congress authorizes up to \$1.76 billion in funding for this significant upgrade to veteran healthcare facilities.

The MAPWaters Act of 2025 aims to modernize public access to federal waterways by requiring federal agencies to standardize, digitize, and publish comprehensive geospatial data on water restrictions and access points. This legislation mandates the creation of a unified, publicly accessible online database detailing fishing restrictions, waterway closures, and access facility locations. The Act explicitly clarifies that it does not alter existing legal definitions of navigable waters or the authority of agencies to regulate fisheries and water use.

This bill, the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Extension Act of 2025, extends the deadline for the Alaska Native Vietnam Era Veterans Land Allotment Program. Specifically, it amends existing law to change the application period from five years to ten years. This extension provides more time for eligible veterans to participate in the program.

The Kayla Hamilton Act significantly tightens the requirements for placing unaccompanied alien children in federal custody. It mandates extensive background checks and consultations with Homeland Security and the Attorney General before placement decisions are made. The bill also establishes stricter criteria for secure facility placement and prohibits placement with sponsors who have serious criminal histories. Furthermore, it exempts certain implementation procedures from standard administrative rulemaking requirements to ensure swift action.

The MIND Our Veterans Act of 2025 mandates significant improvements to mental health screening for service members leaving active duty. This legislation requires the Department of Defense to fully implement the separation health assessment using only validated screening tools for conditions like PTSD, alcohol use, and violence risk. Furthermore, it directs the VA-DoD Joint Executive Committee to assess and incorporate substance use screening into this mandatory assessment process.

This bill seeks to reauthorize the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System through fiscal year 2029. It specifically authorizes funding for the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to operate and maintain the system.

The FOSTER Act establishes a new grant program to provide opioid abuse prevention and treatment services specifically for children, their caregivers, and kinship care families. This legislation amends the 21st Century Cures Act to allow states to use existing grant funds for these targeted opioid services, including workforce training and healthcare. The bill authorizes significant funding through fiscal year 2033, dedicating a portion specifically to these new opioid-related supports.

The ROTOR Act focuses on enhancing aviation safety and transparency, primarily by reforming exceptions that allow aircraft to disable their ADS-B Out tracking systems. It mandates that the FAA require most aircraft to install and use ADS-B In technology for improved situational awareness. Furthermore, the bill establishes new coordination offices and requires comprehensive safety reviews of airspace operations, particularly around major airports, involving both civil and military aviation.

The Federal Maritime Commission Reauthorization Act of 2025 proposes to reauthorize the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) for a set period, ensuring its continued operation and oversight of the U.S. ocean shipping industry. This legislation aims to maintain the FMC's authority to regulate common carriers and address issues related to competition and consumer protection in maritime commerce.

This Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey approximately 3,400 acres of federal land in La Paz County, Arizona, to the County for solar energy development. The County must pay the fair market value for the land and cover all associated transfer costs. The transfer includes strict conditions to protect Tribal cultural artifacts and withdraws the land from mining and mineral leasing.

This bill reauthorizes the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994 through fiscal year 2031. It ensures continued funding for the program using existing authorized appropriations, without authorizing new funds. The legislation also updates the definition of "State" within the original Act.

The Healthy Competition for Better Care Act aims to promote lower costs and higher quality healthcare by banning anticompetitive contract terms between health plans and providers. Specifically, it prohibits agreements that restrict plans from steering patients toward better value care or that mandate favorable terms for provider affiliates. This legislation ensures health plans retain the flexibility to design networks and quality initiatives while fostering greater competition in the healthcare market.

The Background Check Expansion Act mandates that nearly all private firearm transfers between unlicensed individuals must go through a licensed dealer to complete a federal background check. This legislation establishes a universal background check requirement for these transactions, with specific exceptions for family gifts and law enforcement transfers. The bill aims to close loopholes in existing firearm transfer laws while explicitly prohibiting the creation of a national firearms registry.

The Enhancing Arctic Readiness Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of the Army to report on potential locations for expanding Arctic and cold weather training exercises. This report, due by January 15, 2026, must identify sites for key cold weather courses and analyze the logistical challenges of operating in extreme cold. The goal is to enhance the Army's readiness for operations in the Arctic environment.

This Act establishes a clear U.S. policy to advocate for Taiwan's full participation and membership in the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). It directs the Secretary of State to develop a comprehensive strategy to secure Taiwan's inclusion and involvement in Interpol's activities. Furthermore, the bill mandates reports to Congress detailing the strategy and assessing the threats Taiwan faces due to its current exclusion from global crime-fighting networks.