Legislation

The BIOSECURE Act of 2025 prohibits federal agencies from contracting with or using federal funds to support biotechnology providers identified as national security risks. This measure aims to safeguard sensitive biological data by restricting the use of equipment and services from designated "biotechnology companies of concern." The Director of OMB is tasked with establishing and maintaining a list of these prohibited entities. The Act includes specific waiver authorities and exceptions for national security and overseas healthcare needs.

The Stop Communist Radio Act of 2025 establishes a competitive grant program administered by the FCC to assist small, independent AM/FM radio stations that are experiencing harmful interference from Cuban radio transmissions. These funds must be used by eligible stations to acquire and operate technology specifically designed to mitigate this interference. The FCC will set terms to ensure the mitigation technology does not cause interference to other spectrum users.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 1300 East Northwest Highway in Palatine, Illinois. The building will henceforth be known as the "Bernie Bluestein Post Office Building." This designation must be used in all future official federal references to the location.

The Growing University Artificial Intelligence Research for Defense Act of 2025, or GUARD Act of 2025, establishes the National Security and Defense Artificial Intelligence Institute program. This legislation authorizes the Secretary of Defense to create AI research institutes at eligible U.S. universities to focus on national security challenges. These institutes will foster partnerships, drive innovation, and support workforce development in critical AI disciplines. Awards will be made competitively for five-year periods, ensuring all funding supports domestic research and development.

The Health Coverage Across State Lines Act establishes a system allowing health insurers to sell individual coverage across state lines under the laws of a single "Primary State." This aims to increase competition and affordability by exempting insurers from most regulations in "Secondary States" where the policies are sold. Consumers in secondary states must be notified that their policy is governed by another state's laws and may offer different benefits. The law also prohibits premium increases or reclassifications based on an individual's health status upon renewal.

This act establishes six mandatory fee-free days annually for federal recreational lands and waters, aligning with significant national holidays and service-oriented dates. The goal is to encourage public service and national pride by providing free access to these lands on specific days like Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday and Juneteenth. The Secretary of the Interior retains the authority to designate further fee-free days.

The Zero Food Waste Act establishes a grant program at the EPA to help cut national food waste in half by 2035 compared to 2015 levels. These competitive grants will fund eligible entities for studying, planning, collecting data on, or implementing activities that reduce food waste sent to landfills. The legislation authorizes significant funding over ten years to support these reduction efforts across the country.

The Improving Access to Small Business Information Act aims to streamline the work of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation. This bill generally exempts most of the Advocate's information-gathering activities from the stringent requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act. This change is intended to improve the efficiency of collecting necessary data related to small business capital formation.

The International Human Rights Defense Act of 2025 establishes a permanent program within the Department of State, led by a dedicated Special Envoy, to protect and promote the human rights of LGBTQI people globally. This bill mandates the creation of a comprehensive U.S. Global Strategy to address international discrimination and violence against this community. Furthermore, it authorizes foreign assistance to support local organizations and requires detailed reporting on LGBTQI human rights abuses in annual State Department reports.

The Houthi Human Rights Accountability Act mandates sanctions against senior Houthi leaders and officials operating in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen. The bill also requires several reports from the Executive Branch detailing Houthi indoctrination efforts, obstacles to humanitarian aid delivery, and specific human rights abuses. Congress affirms its opposition to Houthi extremism and support for a Yemeni-led peace process. This Act will terminate five years after its enactment.

The Reuniting Families Act is comprehensive legislation designed to significantly reform U.S. immigration by drastically reducing visa backlogs and prioritizing family unity across various immigration categories. It achieves this by recapturing unused visas, reclassifying immediate relatives, and extending spousal immigration rights to permanent partners. Furthermore, the bill enhances diversity visa opportunities and establishes time-bound processes to ensure refugee families can reunite more quickly.

This bill establishes the **National Strategy for School Security Act of 2025**, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to develop a comprehensive national strategy for securing K-12 schools from terrorism. The strategy must detail federal security programs, identify and address specific school vulnerabilities, and outline necessary actions to improve security nationwide. The Department will be required to update and report on this strategy annually through 2033.

The Child Care Access and Affordability Act of 2025 mandates the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive study on the state of child care access and affordability. This study will examine barriers to meeting state standards, the extent of child care waitlists, current payment rates for providers, and the impact of inflation on the system. The findings will be reported to Congress to inform future policy decisions regarding the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act.

The Replace Animal Tests Act of 2025 generally prohibits submitting data from animal testing to covered federal agencies if a non-animal testing method is available. This legislation mandates that agencies prioritize non-animal methods, minimize harm when animal testing is unavoidable, and issue annual reports detailing animal use. Covered agencies, including the FDA and EPA, must also update regulations to reflect the acceptability of these modern, non-animal testing alternatives.

The CFTC Charitable Organization Exemption Act of 2025 amends the Commodity Exchange Act to exempt qualified charitable organizations from the requirement to register as commodity pool operators or commodity trading advisors. This exemption applies when their advisory or pool activities are conducted solely for other qualifying charitable entities. The bill maintains existing exemptions while adding a specific disclosure requirement for these newly exempt charitable organizations.

The U.S. Vets of the FAS Act mandates that the Department of Veterans Affairs furnish essential health services to veterans residing in the Freely Associated States. This requires the VA Secretary to quickly establish agreements to provide telehealth services and mail-order pharmaceuticals to these veterans. The bill sets a one-year timeline for implementing these services and requires regular reporting on progress and costs.

This bill establishes a new refundable Monthly Childhood Education Tax Credit for families with young children aged 2 through 4. The credit provides up to $667 per month per qualifying child, with amounts subject to reduction for higher-income households. The legislation also creates a system for taxpayers to receive these benefits as advance monthly payments throughout the year, reconciled upon filing their annual tax return.

The Restaurant Meals Program Reform Act of 2025 updates the existing Restaurant Meals Program by revising eligibility standards for participating restaurants and specifying what types of prepared meals can be purchased with benefits. The bill also introduces new restrictions, such as excluding spouses of SNAP recipients, and mandates comprehensive reporting on program participation and costs. These changes aim to refine how benefits are used for immediate consumption meals at authorized retail food stores.

The Critical Minerals Trade Security Act establishes a Chief Critical Minerals Negotiator within the U.S. Trade Representative's office to address foreign trade practices impacting vital mineral supply chains. This position will conduct trade negotiations and enforce agreements related to these essential resources. The Negotiator is required to submit annual reports detailing foreign policies that create supply chain vulnerabilities or violate trade agreements, along with corresponding response plans.

The Staff Salary Schedule Improvement Act updates the payroll process for employees of the House of Representatives. While the standard pay date remains the last day of the month, this act grants the Chief Administrative Officer the authority to implement a twice-monthly or alternative pay schedule upon direction from the Committee on House Administration. This change will take effect when the House next upgrades its payroll system.