Legislation

The Water Research Optimization Act of 2025 reorganizes the National Water Center by placing it within the Office of Water Prediction at the National Weather Service. This Act establishes the Center as the central coordinator for all federal water research and development activities across relevant agencies. A primary goal is to ensure that new water research and advanced computer models are directly integrated into daily operational forecasting systems.

This bill mandates the Secretary of State to designate the Russian Federation as a state sponsor of terrorism if Russia fails to ensure the safe return and reintegration of Ukrainian children abducted since the 2022 invasion. The designation triggers existing sanctions unless the Secretary can certify that all forcibly deported children are safely reunited with their families. Removal of this designation requires Russia to cease terrorism support and meet strict criteria regarding the return of all displaced children.

This resolution extends the enforcement of specific budgetary points of order within the Senate. It ensures that key enforcement mechanisms under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 remain fully active through September 30, 2027. Essentially, this keeps certain Senate budget rules in place for a longer period.

The Gas Can Freedom Act of 2025 repeals existing federal laws concerning portable fuel containers, including the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2020. This legislation voids all current regulations issued by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) based on those repealed acts. Furthermore, the bill explicitly prohibits the CPSC from issuing any future rules mandating flame mitigation devices or child-resistant features on gasoline containers.

The Advancing Research in Nuclear Fuel Recycling Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of Energy to conduct a comprehensive study on the feasibility, costs, and risks of recycling spent nuclear fuel. This study must compare recycling methods against current practices and analyze the potential for creating new fuels for various domestic and international applications. The final report, due within one year, will detail findings and recommend necessary policy changes to advance recycling technologies.

This Act denies U.S. immigration benefits and entry to any non-citizen who advocates for implementing Sharia law in a way that violates constitutional or federal rights. Individuals already in the U.S. who violate this provision face visa revocation and mandatory removal. Decisions made regarding removal under this Act are explicitly barred from judicial review.

The Voter Purge Protection Act aims to safeguard voter registration by preventing states from removing individuals from voter rolls solely because they moved within the state. This legislation establishes strict standards for voter list maintenance, requiring objective proof before removal and allowing registered voters to update their address up to Election Day. Furthermore, it ensures that voters who move within a state can easily cast their ballot by updating their address at the polls.

The Secure Commercial Driver Licensing Act of 2025 mandates that all commercial driver's license (CDL) tests must be administered exclusively in English. Furthermore, the bill establishes a mandatory one-year waiting period before an individual can upgrade from a standard driver's license to a CDL. Finally, it grants the Secretary of Transportation the authority to revoke a state's permission to issue out-of-state commercial licenses if that state fails to comply with federal regulations.

The Stop Medical Profiteering and Theft Act (Stop MPT Act) aims to protect healthcare stability and patient care by regulating property transactions between healthcare entities and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs). This bill requires the Secretary of HHS to review and approve such deals to prevent long-term financial harm or public health risks, imposing penalties for violations. Additionally, it modifies tax code provisions to favorably treat rental income REITs receive from qualified healthcare properties.

The Shutdown Fairness Act ensures that federal employees deemed "excepted" and required to work during a government shutdown, starting in fiscal year 2026 or later, are guaranteed to receive their salaries and allowances. This automatic funding from the Treasury Department covers essential personnel and their supporting contractors until a full-year budget or continuing resolution is enacted. The goal is to provide financial certainty for workers performing emergency duties during funding lapses.

The Upper Price River Watershed Project Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to convey approximately 124.23 acres of specified Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land to the City of Price, Utah. This transfer is explicitly for the City's use for defined public purposes, overriding standard land disposal regulations. The conveyance is contingent upon a request from the City and is subject to any existing legal rights on the property.

The FEMA Operations Continuity Act of 2025 ensures that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can continue all critical disaster relief, recovery, and mitigation operations without interruption during a lapse in appropriations or a government shutdown. This is achieved by explicitly authorizing the use of the Disaster Relief Fund for ongoing and future disaster assistance activities. The Act safeguards these funds from diversion and exempts authorized FEMA work from standard shutdown restrictions by deeming it essential to protect life and property.

The Boosting University Investments in Low-Income Districts Act (BUILD Act) establishes a new federal grant program administered by the Department of Commerce. This program aims to revitalize economically struggling areas by providing substantial funding to eligible colleges located within designated "distressed communities." Colleges must first secure a planning grant to develop an approved revitalization strategy before receiving implementation grants ranging from $25 million to $50 million to execute local economic development projects.

The Skin Substitute Access and Payment Reform Act establishes a new Medicare Part B payment system for advanced skin substitute products starting in 2026, basing initial payments on 2023 utilization data and subsequent annual updates tied to the Consumer Price Index. The bill also enhances program integrity by identifying high-volume providers for increased scrutiny, including prepayment reviews and mandatory prior authorization requirements starting in 2027. Furthermore, it mandates the creation of a single, consolidated billing code for all skin substitute products by 2026.

The Remembering American Hostages Act of 2025 mandates the display of the U.S. Flag on specific dates commemorating American hostages and wrongfully detained individuals, such as November 4th and October 7th. This requirement extends to all U.S. embassies, consulates, and passport offices nationwide. Additionally, the bill strongly encourages state and local governments to fly the Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag on designated days or upon the return or death of a captive.

The Western Wildfire Support Act of 2025 aims to modernize wildfire management through comprehensive reforms across preparation, response, and recovery. It focuses on increasing federal spending transparency, accelerating the deployment of advanced detection technology, and establishing permanent teams for rapid post-fire stabilization. Ultimately, the bill seeks to improve coordination between federal, state, and tribal partners while ensuring better accountability for recovery funding.

The Making Access To Cleanup Happen (MATCH) Act of 2025 streamlines the Emergency Watershed Protection Program by allowing local sponsors to begin critical cleanup work before final federal agreements are signed. This allows state-level processes to authorize early spending on emergency measures following a natural disaster. Any eligible costs incurred early will count toward the sponsor's required contribution, provided a final agreement is eventually reached. However, sponsors assume the financial risk if the Secretary ultimately declines to enter into an agreement.

The Government Shutdown Salary Suspension Act mandates that the salaries of Members of Congress, the President, and the Vice President be held in escrow during any government shutdown caused by a failure to fund the government. This withheld pay will not be released until the shutdown ends or the official's term concludes, whichever comes first. All standard tax withholdings and deductions will still be applied to the escrowed amounts.

This bill mandates that the Secretary of Defense establish regulations requiring all optional combat boots worn by service members as part of their required uniform to be 100% manufactured in the United States. This requirement covers all materials and components used in the boots. Exceptions are provided for boots needed for specialized military requirements or documented medical necessity.

The Bracero Program 2.0 Act aims to modernize the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program by streamlining employer processes through a new online portal and setting a guaranteed minimum wage plus $\$2.00$ per hour for workers. It also establishes a six-year pilot program allowing certain returning H-2A workers to move between approved farms within the same state for greater job flexibility. Finally, the bill expands H-2A eligibility to include greenhouse and indoor farm workers and mandates several oversight reports by the GAO.