Legislation

The Back the Blue Act of 2025 establishes new federal crimes and harsher penalties for killing or assaulting law enforcement officers and other public safety officials. The bill also creates specific aggravating factors for the federal death penalty in such cases and places new restrictions on federal habeas corpus relief for related state convictions. Finally, it expands federal protections allowing active and retired law enforcement officers to carry firearms in various federal locations.

The Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act aims to streamline the creation of healthcare apprenticeship programs by establishing a national registration system. This legislation mandates that the Department of Labor must decide on apprenticeship applications within 45 days. Furthermore, the Act requires the digitization of all apprenticeship agreement forms for improved efficiency.

The Dream Act of 2025 establishes a pathway to conditional permanent resident status for eligible long-term residents who entered the U.S. as children. This status lasts for eight years and requires meeting specific criteria related to continuous presence, good moral character, and education or military service. After meeting further requirements, including education, military service, or employment benchmarks, individuals can apply to remove the conditional basis and obtain full lawful permanent resident status. The bill also mandates strong confidentiality protections for applicant information, prohibiting its use for general immigration enforcement.

The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act aims to update and index the Social Security lump sum death payment. This bill sets the fixed payment amount at \$2,900, effective January 1, 2026.

The Native American Seeds Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to collect, produce, and preserve Native American seeds in consultation with Indian Tribes. This legislation mandates the development of seed banks and nurseries to support these culturally significant seeds. Furthermore, the Act requires collaboration with Tribes to identify and protect these seeds while ensuring the confidentiality of sensitive Tribal information.

The Junk Fee Prevention Act aims to protect consumers by requiring clear, upfront disclosure of all mandatory fees for event tickets, short-term lodging, and communications services. This legislation prohibits excessive or deceptive fees across these sectors and specifically bans early termination fees for communication services. Furthermore, it mandates increased transparency regarding ancillary fees charged by airlines.

This bill, the "Protect Innocent Victims of Taxation After Fire Extension Act," excludes federal income tax on qualified relief payments received by individuals for losses, expenses, or damages resulting from federally declared wildfires occurring after December 31, 2014. This exclusion applies only to amounts not already covered by insurance or other sources. The tax benefit is effective for payments received after December 31, 2025.

The PBM Disclosure Act clarifies existing requirements under ERISA for brokers and consultants to employer-sponsored health plans to disclose all direct and indirect compensation related to pharmacy benefit management services. This ensures transparency regarding payments received for PBM services provided to these health plans. The Department of Labor is tasked with issuing clarifying regulations within 180 days of enactment.

The Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Calls Act of 2025, or the DO NOT Call Act, establishes new criminal penalties for willfully violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This legislation significantly increases the severity of penalties for repeat offenders or those involved in large-scale robocalling operations. Additionally, the bill doubles the existing civil fines for providing inaccurate caller ID information.

The PBM Price Transparency and Accountability Act aims to increase fairness and oversight in prescription drug pricing across Medicaid and Medicare Part D. It mandates transparent payment models for Medicaid, prohibiting abusive spread pricing by Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). Additionally, the bill establishes new network access standards for Medicare pharmacies and imposes strict compensation and reporting requirements on PBMs to ensure accountability to Medicare plans.

The National Strategy for Combating Scams Act of 2025 addresses the rising threat of scams, which cost consumers billions annually and increasingly involve advanced technologies like AI. This bill mandates the FBI to establish a federal working group to develop a comprehensive National Strategy for Combating Scams. The strategy must coordinate efforts across numerous federal agencies, define "scam," and outline plans for improved reporting, prevention, and cross-border cooperation.

This bill officially renames the United States Postal Service facility located at 14855 South Van Dyke Road in Plainfield, Illinois. The building will now be known as the "Staff Sergeant Jose Duenez Jr. Post Office Building." This designation requires all future official federal references to use the new name.

This Act officially designates the Museum of the Blind Peoples Movement in Baltimore, Maryland, as the National Museum of the Blind Peoples Movement. The legislation recognizes the significant, yet often overlooked, history and civil rights struggle of blind Americans. This national museum will serve as the first institution owned and operated by blind Americans to preserve and showcase this vital history.

The Our Parks Act aims to increase public access to federal lands by eliminating entrance fees at National Parks and National Wildlife Refuges on all Federal holidays. This legislation directs the Secretary of the Interior to waive any normally charged admission fees on these designated days.

This bill modernizes the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's (CFTC) authority to conduct research and development programs focused on emerging technologies and market risks. It allows the CFTC to establish programs to understand new technologies, explore them with developers, and educate the public. To facilitate this research, the Act grants the CFTC special authority to enter into transactions and accept non-monetary contributions under specific conditions. The CFTC must also report annually to Congress on the use of these authorities.

The CARE for First Responders Act expands crisis counseling assistance to include emergency responders and public safety telecommunicators following major disasters. The bill establishes a comprehensive mental health program providing 24/7 confidential support, including a dedicated hotline and peer counseling. Additionally, it creates a grant program to fund mobile crisis units offering on-site mental health services to first responders during disaster response.

The VA Research Reform Act of 2025 aims to modernize and improve the Department of Veterans Affairs' research enterprise. This legislation establishes a centralized data system, standardizes research review processes, and mandates plans to translate findings into improved veteran care. It also directs the creation of regional research hubs and requires standardized performance metrics for all VA research activities.

This bill establishes the Supporting Blue Envelope Programs Act to create a grant program managed by the Attorney General. These grants will fund local initiatives that provide training and resources to improve interactions between law enforcement and individuals with autism or other developmental, cognitive, sensory, or communication disabilities. The voluntary programs will offer participants items, like blue envelopes, to help overcome communication barriers during encounters.

The Secure Our Skies Drone Safety Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive one-year study by the Comptroller General on the use of drones and counter-drone technology by all levels of government. This report must analyze current agency deployment, sourcing of equipment, and operational policies. Crucially, it will provide recommendations for updating legal authorities and strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities for UAS technology.

The Priority Response for Veterans Impacted by Disasters and Emergencies Act (PROVIDE Act) mandates the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish regulations for prioritizing disability claims processing for veterans affected by major presidential-declared disasters. This ensures veterans in disaster zones receive expedited review, along with those already eligible due to hardship, terminal illness, or homelessness. The bill also requires flexible evidence and filing deadlines for disaster-impacted claimants and mandates public notification of these priority categories.