Legislation

The Dismantle Foreign Scam Syndicates Act establishes a high-level Task Force, chaired by the Secretary of State, to develop and execute a comprehensive U.S. strategy against transnational criminal organizations running massive online scams, often utilizing victims of human trafficking in Southeast Asia. This strategy must focus on disrupting these operations, sanctioning responsible parties, and providing support for rescued victims. The bill authorizes $30 million over two years to fund these efforts and requires annual reporting to Congress on progress and impact.

The It’s About Time Act changes the federal government's fiscal year to align with the calendar year, running from January 1st to December 31st, effective January 1, 2027. This legislation mandates the President to submit a budget for the transition period of October 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026. It also directs the OMB to establish rules for agency transitions and updates existing appropriation laws to reflect the new year-end date.

This bill officially establishes the FireGuard Program as a mandatory "program of record" within the National Guard. It requires the Secretary of Defense to provide annual briefings to Congress for five years detailing the program's impact, including response times and technology integration. The program is authorized to operate through December 31, 2031.

The "If You See It, Squish It Act of 2025" mandates the Secretary of Agriculture to launch a national awareness campaign about the invasive spotted lanternfly. This campaign must include public service announcements encouraging the public to kill any lanternflies they encounter. The goal is to educate citizens on the threat this pest poses to local agriculture.

The Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act of 2025 mandates that certain new medical devices must be designed to be fully usable by individuals who are blind or have low vision. This ensures that users can access information and operate life-saving equipment independently and privately, similar to sighted users. The FDA is tasked with establishing specific nonvisual accessibility standards for these covered devices within a set timeline. Devices failing to meet these standards after the effective date will be deemed adulterated.

The National Guard Proper Use Act prohibits active duty military personnel and National Guard members serving under Title 32 orders from enforcing or assisting in the enforcement of immigration laws. This measure restricts the use of the Armed Forces for domestic immigration enforcement, aligning with existing statutes that govern such deployments.

The No Funding for Lawless Jurisdictions Act restricts federal crime-fighting grants to state and local governments that limit cash bail for serious offenses or release convicted felons on personal recognizance. Furthermore, jurisdictions that cut their police budgets in the preceding year are ineligible for these funds, unless the cut was part of a fair, government-wide budget reduction. This legislation aims to ensure federal support only goes to jurisdictions maintaining traditional public safety and law enforcement funding standards.

The Tropical Plant Health Initiative Act establishes a dedicated federal initiative to protect vital tropical crops like coffee, bananas, and mangoes from devastating pests and diseases. This law authorizes new research and extension grants focused on developing science-based solutions for these specific agricultural threats. Furthermore, it extends the program's funding authorization through the year 2030.

The Advancing Quality U.S. Aquaculture Act updates the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 by mandating more frequent industry reviews and requiring assessments to detail capital needs and regulatory barriers. It establishes a new, non-federal Aquaculture Advisory Committee to guide best practices and technical assistance for the industry. Furthermore, the bill requires annual comprehensive reports to Congress on the state of U.S. aquaculture, including federal spending evaluations.

The PILOT Act mandates that the Department of Defense conduct a comprehensive study on whether active-duty military pilots are sustaining traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) due to the physical stresses of flying. The resulting report must detail the study's findings, review current TBI identification and treatment procedures, and propose a strategy for improvement. Furthermore, the Secretary of Defense must offer legislative recommendations to better address TBI in this population.

The RESIDE Act establishes a temporary Blighted Building to Housing Conversion Program to transform vacant commercial or industrial structures into attainable housing units. This pilot program, funded by excess allocations from the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, provides grants to eligible entities for property acquisition, cleanup, and conversion. Priority will be given to projects in economically struggling areas or those that streamline local conversion regulations.

This bill amends the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act to mandate improved coordination between the EPA Administrator and the Secretary of Agriculture on pesticide regulation. It requires the EPA to conduct economic analyses when implementing new safety measures for pesticides. Furthermore, it ensures the EPA incorporates critical agronomic data and feasibility information from the Department of Agriculture during registration reviews.

The Expanding Seniors’ Access to PFAS Testing Act ensures Medicare beneficiaries will have no out-of-pocket costs for physician-ordered blood tests detecting PFAS "forever chemicals." This section amends the Social Security Act to waive all cost-sharing requirements for this specific screening. Beginning January 1, 2028, Medicare will cover 100% of the cost for PFAS testing.

The SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve federal support for state-level stillbirth research and data collection. It authorizes grants for states to enhance surveillance, track risk factors, and build local capacity for analyzing stillbirth data, provided the information remains de-identified. Furthermore, the bill mandates the development of standardized guidelines and educational materials regarding stillbirth awareness and risk factors, developed in consultation with experts and bereaved families.

The Combatting Fentanyl Poisonings Act of 2025 establishes several new grant programs managed by the Attorney General to address the fentanyl crisis. These grants will fund local law enforcement efforts to stop social media drug sales, support non-profit organizations in running public awareness campaigns, and equip officers to safely handle fentanyl exposure. The Act specifically allocates funds for enforcement, education, and officer protection related to the dangers of fentanyl.

The Community College Agriculture Advancement Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to strengthen agriculture and natural resources programs at community colleges. These competitive grants will help two-year colleges build capacity for workforce training, education, and research. Priority will be given to colleges that partner with local agriculture businesses to provide students with hands-on experience. The Act authorizes $20 million annually to support these vital local and regional agricultural initiatives.

The Help Federal Employees During Shutdowns Act (Help FEDS Act) ensures that essential, non-paid federal employees working during a government shutdown can receive state unemployment compensation for the weeks they are actively working. This legislation mandates that the federal government fully reimburse states for all benefits paid out, plus administrative costs, directly from the Unemployment Trust Fund. Any employee who receives retroactive pay for a period they were also paid unemployment must repay those benefits to the state.

The Rail Passenger Fairness Act aims to restore Amtrak's statutory right to priority over freight trains on shared tracks, which has been frequently ignored by freight railroads, causing significant passenger delays. This bill grants Amtrak the direct authority to file civil lawsuits in federal court to enforce these crucial preference rights. By ensuring passenger trains run on time, the Act is expected to improve service reliability and generate substantial cost savings.

The Fraud Accountability and Recovery Act aims to combat large-scale fraud against the U.S. government by penalizing foreign countries that refuse to extradite convicted fraudsters or fail to assist in recovering stolen federal funds. This bill mandates the suspension of U.S. foreign assistance to non-cooperative nations, though the President retains a national security waiver. Furthermore, it requires the Secretary of State to annually report on noncompliant countries and the amount of lost U.S. funds tied to their inaction.

The Stop RFK’s Bad Science Act mandates the immediate reinstatement of any National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants or awards that were terminated or suspended between January 20, 2025, and the enactment of this law. Reinstated funds must be disbursed to recipients within 30 days of request, and the budget period for these grants is automatically extended by one year. Exceptions to reinstatement only apply if the NIH Director finds evidence of financial mismanagement or research fraud by the recipient.