Legislation

The Cost-of-Living Fairness Act ensures that payments made for essential insurance policies, such as car, home/renter, and flood insurance, are excluded when determining eligibility for federal, state, or local assistance programs. This change prevents necessary insurance expenses from negatively impacting a household's income calculation for benefits. The goal is to make it fairer for families to maintain necessary coverage while accessing public aid.

The Uplifting First-Time Homebuyers Act of 2025 significantly increases the penalty-free withdrawal limit from retirement accounts for first-time homebuyers. This legislation raises the maximum allowable tax-free withdrawal from $\$10,000$ to $\$50,000$. This enhanced benefit will be available for home purchases made in tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Mental Health Services for Students Act of 2025 establishes a new federal program to provide comprehensive, trauma-informed mental health services and supports in schools through grants and contracts. These funds will support partnerships to implement awareness campaigns, staff training on trauma and suicide risk, and direct student and family treatment. The Secretary must ensure equitable distribution of funding, which is capped at \$2 million per award, with Congress authorized to appropriate \$300 million annually for the initial years.

The FREE SPEECH Act of 2025 prohibits the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from using its regulatory authority to pressure or force companies to align their speech or editorial content with the political views of the current presidential administration. This measure prevents the FCC from conditioning licenses or approvals on a company's political speech. Essentially, it blocks the government from leveraging regulatory power to control corporate expression.

The Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of the Interior to take approximately 563 acres of specific Forest Service land into trust for the benefit of the Pit River Tribe. This transferred land will be managed as part of the Tribe's Reservation, subject to existing rights. Importantly, the law explicitly prohibits the use of this land for any gaming activities.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's disapproval of a recent rule issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) titled "Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness: Gulf of America." By utilizing the Congressional Review Act process, this resolution ensures that the specific BOEM rule will be nullified and have no legal effect. Essentially, Congress is vetoing this particular administrative action.

The Stand Strong for Medicare Act expands Medicare coverage to include essential fall prevention items such as grab bars and shower chairs. This legislation removes the requirement for a physician's order for these specific safety devices to be covered. Furthermore, payments for these newly covered items are protected from budget sequestration cuts.

The Enhancing Transparency from Airlines Act of 2025 (ETA Act) codifies existing Department of Transportation rules regarding refunds and fee transparency. Crucially, it mandates new regulations requiring airlines to compensate passengers for significant delays. Domestic passengers delayed three or more hours, or international passengers delayed six or more hours, will be eligible for mandatory compensation ranging from $\$200$ to $\$500$.

The Enhancing Geothermal Production on Federal Lands Act aims to accelerate geothermal energy development on federal lands. It streamlines environmental reviews for specific, small-scale geothermal exploration projects by exempting them from standard "major Federal action" requirements under NEPA. Furthermore, the bill mandates the designation of "geothermal leasing priority areas" and establishes specific environmental review protocols to expedite leasing decisions in those zones.

The Flight Refund Fairness Act establishes clear, strict deadlines for ticket agents to issue refunds to consumers after a flight cancellation or significant delay. Specifically, ticket agents must now return the refund money to the customer within seven days of receiving the funds from the airline. This legislation replaces vague "promptly" requirements with a concrete timeline to ensure passengers receive their money back faster.

The NFIP Extension Act of 2026 officially extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This legislation ensures the NFIP continues to operate by pushing its expiration date from September 30, 2023, to September 30, 2026. The bill also includes a provision to ensure this extension takes effect even if enacted after September 30, 2025.

The Patient Access to Autoimmune Treatments (PAAT) Act mandates that Medicare Part D prescription drug plans must cover all specified drugs for autoimmune diseases, hemophilia, and Von Willebrand disease starting in 2027. Furthermore, the bill limits the requirement for prior authorization for these specific treatments to no more than once every 12 months. This aims to improve patient access and reduce administrative hurdles for individuals managing these chronic conditions.

The Uniform Standards Protection Act of 2025 prohibits states from enforcing any law that dictates the uniform requirements for federal law enforcement officers operating within their jurisdiction. This legislation ensures that federal agents are exempt from state-level dress codes, regardless of existing state regulations. Furthermore, the Act mandates the dismissal of any pending legal actions against federal officers based on prior violations of these now-preempted state uniform rules.

This Act officially establishes the Congressional Tribute to Constance Baker Motley Act of 2025 to honor the life and groundbreaking civil rights achievements of the late legal pioneer. The bill authorizes the posthumous presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to her family in recognition of her service, including her role in *Brown v. Board of Education*. Furthermore, it permits the Treasury to strike and sell bronze duplicates of the medal to cover production costs.

The Child Care Modernization Act of 2025 aims to significantly update federal child care funding by increasing state flexibility, broadening eligibility for assistance, and strengthening workforce support. The bill mandates that states develop plans ensuring child care payment rates cover actual costs, determined by new cost estimation models. Furthermore, it establishes new grant programs to fund the startup, expansion, and physical improvement of child care facilities.

The District of Columbia Judicial Nominations Reform Act eliminates the existing Judicial Nomination Commission responsible for recommending judicial candidates. This act grants the President of the United States the authority to directly nominate candidates for D.C. judicial positions, including chief judges. Consequently, the process for filling judicial vacancies in the District of Columbia is fundamentally changed.

The Learn and Serve America Reinvestment Act provides a significant, dedicated annual funding increase of $40 million to the Learn and Serve America program starting in fiscal year 2026. This legislation also expands eligibility to include local educational agencies and grants State Educational Agencies more flexibility in designating program operators. Furthermore, it restructures how funds are distributed starting in 2026, including setting aside funds for Native American education and requiring competitive grants to states, territories, and tribes.

The Emergency Pine Beetle Response Act of 2025 establishes emergency financial assistance for private forest owners and timber service businesses impacted by pine beetle outbreaks. This aid includes cost-share payments to cover restoration efforts and new emergency loan options specifically for nonindustrial private forest landowners. The bill also provides supplemental grants to state, Tribal, and local governments to aid in their response and recovery from these infestations.

The FASTER Act establishes a FEMA grant program to fund fire departments in creating home safety and fall prevention initiatives for older adults. These grants will help departments conduct home safety assessments, install safety modifications like grab bars, and provide related community paramedicine services. The goal is to reduce the high rate of debilitating and costly falls among seniors through proactive community intervention.

The Equal Detention Standards Act of 2025 mandates that all federally contracted immigration detention facilities must adhere to the U.S. Marshal Service's Federal Performance Based Detention Standards. This ensures that private and local entities operating these centers comply with the same federal standards used for government-run facilities. This requirement applies to all new and renewed detention contracts signed after the bill's enactment.