Legislation

The "Preventing Hospital Overbilling of Medicare Act" aims to reduce Medicare overspending by ensuring that off-campus hospital locations are billed at the appropriate, lower rate. It achieves this by removing certain exceptions that allow hospitals to bill at higher rates for services provided at these off-campus locations and by requiring these locations to have unique identifiers for billing purposes. The Act also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to promote similar billing practices among private insurers. These changes are intended to take effect starting January 1, 2026.

The Falun Gong Protection Act aims to combat forced organ harvesting in China by imposing sanctions on individuals involved in the practice. It requires the President to identify and sanction those who participate in involuntary organ harvesting, blocking their assets and denying them entry into the U.S. The Act also mandates a report on organ transplant practices in China, including the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, and promotes international collaboration to address these issues.

The "Empowering Patient Choice of Medical Care Act" aims to broaden access to outpatient hospital services for Medicare beneficiaries. Starting January 1, 2026, the Secretary of Health and Human Services can designate services for outpatient care, regardless of whether they could be safely provided in an inpatient setting. This change intends to provide patients with more choices regarding where they receive medical care.

The "Preventing Ranked Choice Corruption Act" prohibits the use of ranked-choice voting in all federal elections beginning in 2026. This act amends the Help America Vote Act of 2002 to explicitly forbid ranked-choice voting systems, where voters rank candidates by preference.

The "Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act" prohibits Federal Reserve Banks from offering financial products or services directly to individuals, maintaining accounts for individuals, or issuing a central bank digital currency (CBDC) directly or indirectly. It also blocks the Federal Reserve from testing, creating, or implementing a CBDC, or using it to implement monetary policy, without explicit congressional authorization. The bill clarifies that these restrictions do not apply to digital versions of the dollar that are open, permissionless, and private, like physical currency.

The United States Postal Service Shipping Equity Act permits the USPS to ship alcoholic beverages under specific conditions, aligning with state and local laws regarding private alcohol shipments. This act requires the Postal Service to establish regulations ensuring age verification, direct delivery, and compliance with state alcohol laws, while also allowing state, local, and tribal governments to sue the Postal Service for violations of alcohol-related laws. These changes will take effect upon the issuance of Postal Service regulations or within two years of the law's enactment.

**Protecting America’s Workers Act Summary:** This bill aims to strengthen workplace safety and health protections by expanding coverage to public employees, increasing whistleblower protections, improving reporting and enforcement, and enhancing state plan oversight. It broadens employer responsibilities, updates safety standards, and increases penalties for violations, while also ensuring victims' rights are protected. The Act also enhances the role of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in evaluating workplace hazards and expanding training resources. Finally, it establishes a clear timeline for the implementation of these provisions across different jurisdictions.

The Green Star Families Act directs the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a counseling program for the next of kin and former volunteer caregivers of veterans who die by suicide. Counseling services will be provided at no cost and must be reasonably accessible and of high quality. The VA will also publish information about the program and provide it to eligible individuals, with implementation required within 90 days of the Act's enactment.

The Fix Our Forests Act aims to reduce wildfire risks and improve forest health through landscape-scale restoration, community protection in wildland-urban interfaces, and strategic partnerships. It establishes programs for fireshed management, wildfire technology deployment, and biochar development, while also reforming litigation related to forest management and promoting prescribed fires. Additionally, the act creates a casualty assistance program for firefighters and their families, ensuring support during times of crisis.

The "No Handouts for Drug Advertisements Act" disallows tax deductions for advertising and promotional expenses for prescription drugs marketed directly to consumers, excluding ads in professional journals and periodicals. This applies to covered entities, including drug sponsors and outsourcing facilities, and affects expenses incurred after the Act's enactment. The goal of the bill is to reduce the amount of direct-to-consumer drug advertising.

The "Highway Formula Fairness Act" allows the Secretary of Transportation to increase highway funding to states that have experienced population growth. It also directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a highway formula modernization study, in consultation with State transportation departments and local government representatives, to assess and recommend improvements to the method and data used for apportioning Federal-aid highway funds. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress within 90 days of this Act's enactment, including the study and recommendations.

The "Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening Enhancement Act" aims to improve the hygienic handling of breast milk, baby formula, and related items during airport security screening. It mandates the TSA to update its guidance in consultation with maternal health organizations to minimize contamination risks and ensure adherence to hygienic standards. Additionally, it requires a report from the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General on compliance and the impact of screening technologies on these items.

This bill amends Title 38 of the United States Code to increase funding for comprehensive service programs addressing veteran homelessness. It extends the authorization of appropriations through fiscal year 2024 and provides $350 million for fiscal year 2025, as well as necessary funds for subsequent fiscal years.

The "Addressing Anti-Competitive Health Care Contract Clauses Act" aims to study and address the impact of specific contract clauses within the healthcare industry that may stifle competition and negatively affect consumer prices and access to care. It mandates a study by the Comptroller General, in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, to assess the effects of anti-steering, anti-tiering, all-or-nothing, and gag clauses in contracts between health insurers and healthcare providers. The study will evaluate the enforcement capabilities of the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice and recommend actions to enhance resources if necessary. The results of the study will be reported to specific committees in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

This resolution condemns President Trump's attacks on the freedom of the press, citing specific instances of disparaging remarks, exclusion of media outlets, and actions against news organizations. It reaffirms the United States' commitment to protecting freedom of the press as vital for democracy and government accountability. The resolution expresses concern that these actions set a dangerous precedent, endangering journalists and emboldening authoritarian regimes, and calls for the release of imprisoned USAGM journalists.

The Taiwan International Solidarity Act clarifies that U.N. Resolution 2758 did not address Taiwan's representation and directs the U.S. to advocate for Taiwan's role in international organizations. It also encourages allies to resist China's efforts to undermine Taiwan's relationships and requires a report on China's attempts to diminish Taiwan's international presence. The Act reinforces U.S. opposition to changing Taiwan's status without the consent of its people.

The Duty Drawback Clarification Act amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to align the duty treatment of whiskies under subheading 2208.30 with that of subheading 2208.50.00. It also directs the United States International Trade Commission to add statistical suffixes to subheading 2208.30.00.

The "Restoring Rights of Medical Residents Act" repeals a section of the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004, specifically Section 207. This change will go into effect on March 18th of the year following the bill's enactment.

This resolution supports National Nurses Week, observed from May 6-12, 2025, and recognizes the vital contributions of nurses to healthcare in various roles, including patient care, advocacy, and research. It emphasizes the need for strengthening nursing workforce development and encourages public recognition of nurses' importance to patients' lives.

The "Protecting America's Cybersecurity Act" addresses the reinstatement and protection of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) employees, limiting involuntary removals and fund alterations without congressional approval. It ensures job security for CISA staff, excluding political appointees and those removed for misconduct, while also preventing employees of the Department of United States DOGE Service from working at CISA.