Legislation

The Valor Has No Expiration Act removes the time limits for recommending military decorations for service members whose records were classified or restricted. This allows the Secretaries of the military branches to review and award decorations earned by veterans dating back to January 1, 1940. The bill establishes a formal review process and reporting requirements for these delayed award considerations.

The Wildfire Coordination Act establishes a permanent Wildfire Science and Technology Advisory Board to bridge the gap between wildfire research and practical federal operations. This diverse board, comprising federal leaders and outside experts, will prioritize research, facilitate its implementation, and disseminate best practices. The Act authorizes $10 million to support the Board's mission of improving national wildfire response through applied science.

The Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2025 reauthorizes and significantly increases mandatory funding levels for critical animal disease prevention and management programs through 2031. This legislation ensures sustained financial support for national animal health laboratories, surveillance efforts, and preparedness initiatives. The bill updates funding allocations to enhance the nation's ability to rapidly respond to potential foreign animal disease outbreaks.

The Federal Government Reform Act of 2025 enacts sweeping changes across federal operations, including closing the Federal Executive Institute and modernizing federal probationary periods for employees. The bill also mandates agencies to reduce criminal penalties in regulations and requires the digitization and faster publication of federal rules. Furthermore, it directs the Treasury Department to upgrade payment systems to reduce reliance on outdated technology and paper checks.

The Putting American Students First Act amends eligibility requirements for participation in Federal TRIO educational opportunity programs. This bill mandates strict citizenship and residency criteria for all participants, explicitly prohibiting any waivers to these new rules. It ensures that only U.S. nationals, permanent residents, and certain other lawfully present individuals qualify for these federally funded programs.

The Choose Medicare Act establishes a new "Medicare Part E Public Health Plan" offering comprehensive coverage, including reproductive services, available on and off the ACA exchanges. It also caps annual out-of-pocket spending for traditional Medicare Part A and B services starting in 2027. Furthermore, the bill enhances marketplace subsidies by benchmarking them against Gold plans and makes enhanced cost-sharing reductions permanent. Finally, it requires employers who do not offer adequate coverage to refer employees to health insurance navigators.

The Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act establishes a grant program to allow law enforcement agencies to hire retired officers for specialized, non-arrest support roles, such as training and investigative assistance. This funding requires rigorous background checks for the retired personnel and mandates annual audits by the Department of Justice Inspector General to ensure accountability. Agencies with unresolved audit findings face exclusion from future funding, while the Attorney General must report on grant distribution and potential funding overlaps to Congress.

This bill amends federal law to allow owners of U.S.-flagged vessels and marine terminal operators to establish Capital Construction Funds. These funds can now be used for purchasing, replacing, or upgrading eligible cargo handling equipment at U.S. marine terminals. The legislation also updates definitions and establishes rules regarding fund deposits, qualified withdrawals, and prohibits the use of funds for certain automated or China-manufactured equipment.

The Baseload Reliability Protection Act prohibits owners of certain dispatchable power plants in areas facing high or elevated risk of electricity shortages from retiring those units or switching their fuel source. Owners can seek an exemption from this ban from FERC, which must grant it if continued operation causes financial hardship or if retirement does not harm grid reliability. The Department of Energy may offer financial assistance to keep essential, money-losing plants operational.

The Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2025 aims to strengthen existing federal background check systems to prevent prohibited persons from acquiring firearms. This bill primarily mandates that most private firearm transfers must be facilitated through a licensed dealer who will conduct a background check. The legislation includes specific exceptions for family gifts, law enforcement, and temporary transfers under emergency circumstances.

This Act authorizes a land exchange between the federal government and the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. The exchange involves the Nation conveying approximately 1,460 acres of its non-federal land to the United States in return for about 1,475 acres of National Forest System land. As a condition, the Nation must agree to protect the historical integrity of the Arrowhead landmark site.

The Bicycle Commuter Act of 2025 reinstates and expands tax benefits for employers who support employees using bicycles or scooters for commuting. This legislation broadens the definition of qualified commuting property to include electric bikes and scooters, covering expenses for purchase, repair, and storage. The bill sets a new monthly limit on the tax-free exclusion for these benefits, effective for tax years beginning after 2024.

The Wildfire Risk Evaluation Act establishes a mandatory, quadrennial review process to assess national wildfire challenges and strategic progress. This review requires federal agencies to collaborate across jurisdictional lines to address evolving risks to communities and natural resources over the next 20 years. The resulting report will inform Congress on necessary legislative or administrative changes to improve wildfire management.

The FORCE Act establishes the National Defense Executive Reserve, a new program allowing private sector experts to temporarily fill federal roles during national emergencies. This legislation mandates the creation of reserve units within key agencies like Commerce, Defense, and Homeland Security. Additionally, the bill modernizes how the government uses voluntary agreements under the Defense Production Act, shifting authority away from the FTC and requiring the development of a critical national defense action plan utilizing the new Reserve.

The Advanced AI Security Readiness Act mandates the creation of an "AI Security Playbook" to defend cutting-edge artificial intelligence from theft by sophisticated actors. Developed by the NSA Director through the AI Security Center, this playbook will detail vulnerabilities, identify critical components of advanced AI, and outline strategies for defense and response. The goal is to establish robust security measures for technologies deemed high-risk to national security.

The Streamlined FEMA Cost Exemption Act shortens the government's timeline to recoup mistaken disaster assistance payments and grants the President new authority to waive duplication rules upon a Governor's request. Additionally, the bill allows the FEMA Administrator to waive the requirement for recipients to repay small overages (up to 5%) on covered disaster projects. Finally, it directs the FEMA Administrator to establish an acceptable error ratio for determining disaster assistance eligibility.

The Toxic Health Threat Warning Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of the Army test water for harmful cyanotoxins before releasing it from government flood control structures. If contamination exceeds 8 parts-per-billion, the Secretary must notify the public and all affected state, local, and Tribal governments about the health risks. This ensures communities are warned about potential toxic water releases.

The Kelsey Smith Act mandates that providers of certain phone and internet services must immediately disclose a device's location information to law enforcement or emergency dispatchers under specific emergency circumstances. This disclosure is required if there is a reasonable belief the device was recently used for a 911 call or if there is a risk of death or serious physical harm to the user. The Act provides legal protection for providers who comply with these emergency requests while preserving the authority of stricter state laws.

This Act mandates that the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) formally coordinate to ensure small businesses understand and comply with beneficial ownership reporting requirements. The agencies must establish a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) detailing joint outreach, educational efforts, and public dissemination of rules. Furthermore, they are required to submit regular joint reports to Congress detailing outreach progress and compliance rates among reporting companies.

The Mitigating Extreme Lawlessness and Threats Act updates federal penalties for participating in riots under U.S. Code. This legislation clarifies sentencing guidelines based on the severity of the actions committed, including specific enhancements for violence or the assault of a federal officer. The bill aims to establish a clearer and more structured system for punishing riot-related offenses.