Legislation

The Save Our Small Farms Act of 2025 modernizes the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) to better support small, diverse, and transitioning farms. It streamlines application processes and creates a voluntary "on-ramp" with significant premium discounts to help producers transition to Whole Farm Revenue Insurance. The bill also raises assistance payment limits and adjusts loss reporting rules to better accommodate specialty and hand-harvested crops.

The UNPLUGGED Act of 2025 mandates that public schools establish and enforce policies prohibiting students from possessing or using personal electronic devices, such as cell phones, during school hours. This aims to improve academic focus and student well-being by minimizing classroom distractions, cheating, and cyberbullying. States must develop secure storage methods for these devices, though exceptions exist for documented medical or disability-related needs. The Act also establishes federal grants to help schools fund the necessary secure storage infrastructure.

The PARTS Act of 2025, or Protecting Americans Right To Silence Act, updates the federal definition of a "firearm silencer" or "firearm muffler." This legislation clarifies that both complete sound-reducing devices and the main housing component of such a device are legally considered silencers if designed to attach to a portable firearm. This change ensures that the core components intended for noise reduction are regulated under existing federal law.

This bill officially renames the Hulls Cove Visitor Center at Acadia National Park in Maine to the George J. Mitchell Visitor Center. The designation will also apply to any future primary visitor center built to replace the current location. This change ensures all official government records reflect the new name.

The Bolstering Security Against Ghost Guns Act directs the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to develop a comprehensive strategy to counter threats posed by unserialized, privately made firearms, commonly known as "ghost guns." This legislation mandates specific actions across DHS components, including threat assessments on cross-border smuggling and research on preventing targeted violence involving these weapons. Furthermore, the bill requires regular reporting from the TSA on airport firearm violations and mandates intelligence sharing regarding terrorist threats linked to ghost guns.

The Defending American Diplomacy Act prohibits the Secretary of State from implementing any reorganization of the State Department without specific statutory authorization from Congress and the submission of a detailed plan. This plan must thoroughly analyze the impact on foreign policy goals, operations, and personnel. If the Secretary proceeds without authorization, specific funding restrictions against the Department of Government Efficiency and official travel for high-level appointees will take effect.

The 10th Amendment Restoration Act of 2025 establishes the Constitutional Government Review Commission to examine every federal agency's authority against the U.S. Constitution. The Commission will recommend the repeal of any agency whose powers are not explicitly granted to the federal government. If repeal is recommended, the bill mandates an expedited legislative process for Congress to consider the changes and distribute resulting federal savings to the states. The Commission is set to terminate five years and 180 days after the Act's enactment.

This Act mandates that the Secretary of State must regularly determine whether Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices (HKETOs) still qualify for special U.S. privileges granted in 1997. If the Secretary finds they no longer merit these benefits, the offices must close within 180 days, subject to expedited Congressional review. Furthermore, the bill restricts U.S. government contracting with HKETOs and establishes a U.S. policy against promoting Hong Kong's autonomy if it is deemed not sufficiently independent from mainland China.

The Expanding Access to School Meals Act of 2025 aims to simplify school meal programs by eliminating the "reduced-price" meal category for both breakfast and lunch. It significantly expands eligibility for free school meals by raising the federal poverty level threshold to 224% and allowing automatic certification for children receiving Medicaid benefits. Additionally, the bill enhances financial support for schools by allowing retroactive reimbursement claims and increasing the multiplier for the Community Eligibility Program.

The Community First Act establishes a new federal grant program managed by the Attorney General to help local governments significantly reduce their jail populations and the length of pretrial detention. These grants fund both data analysis for planning and the implementation of evidence-based strategies like reducing cash bail and expanding pretrial services. Grantees must meet strict annual goals for incarceration rate reduction, or risk losing their funding. The Act prioritizes ambitious plans from high-incarceration areas while ensuring rural and mid-sized communities receive funding opportunities.

The Save Our Sequoias Act establishes a comprehensive, multi-agency strategy to protect giant sequoias from threats like catastrophic wildfire, drought, and pests. It mandates a scientific assessment of grove health, creates emergency response authorities to expedite hazardous fuel reduction, and sets up dedicated funding and grant programs. The legislation emphasizes collaboration with California and Native American Tribes to ensure long-term reforestation and resilience for these iconic trees.

The Trade Review Act of 2025 requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours when imposing new or increased import duties, detailing the justification and impact. These new duties will automatically expire after 60 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution of approval. Furthermore, Congress can swiftly override any new duty by passing a joint resolution of disapproval.

The Protecting Our Courts from Foreign Manipulation Act of 2025 mandates strict transparency regarding foreign funding in U.S. civil litigation. It requires parties to disclose any foreign entity that has a contingent financial stake in a lawsuit's outcome. Furthermore, the Act explicitly bans agreements where payment contingent on a case's success comes from a foreign state or its sovereign wealth fund. The Attorney General must also submit an annual report to Congress detailing foreign litigation funding activities in federal courts.

The CBO Scoring Accountability Act mandates that the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) produce annual reports for ten years following the enactment of any "major legislation." These reports must compare the actual financial impact of the law against the CBO's original estimates. If significant discrepancies occur, the CBO is required to explain the variance to Congress.

The Advancing GETs Act of 2025 aims to modernize the electric grid by incentivizing the adoption of Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) through a shared savings program managed by FERC. The bill also mandates annual reporting on transmission congestion costs to improve transparency and requires the Department of Energy to create a public application guide and clearinghouse for GETs deployment. Ultimately, this legislation seeks to increase grid capacity, reliability, and efficiency using existing infrastructure.

The No Tax Breaks for Union Busting (NTBUB) Act aims to disallow businesses from deducting federal income taxes for expenses incurred while attempting to influence employees regarding union organization or activities. This change is intended to stop companies from subsidizing anti-union campaigns through tax write-offs. The bill also establishes new, significant reporting requirements and penalties for businesses and third-party consultants who engage in these influence expenditures.

The Flexible Savings Arrangements for a Healthy Robust America Act allows individuals to make qualified distributions from their Flexible Spending Arrangements (FSAs) or Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs) directly into a Health Savings Account (HSA) under specific conditions. This transfer is subject to annual dollar limits based on cafeteria plan contribution limits. The bill also adjusts annual HSA contribution limits based on any amount distributed and requires specific reporting on the W-2 form for these transactions, effective for distributions after December 31, 2025.

The Ellie Helton, Lisa Colagrossi, Kristen Shafer Englert, Teresa Anne Lawrence, and Jennifer Sedney Focused Research Act, or "Ellies Law," addresses the high incidence and devastating impact of brain aneurysms in the U.S. The bill authorizes $20 million annually from Fiscal Year 2026 through 2030 for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). This dedicated funding is specifically intended to supplement existing research efforts focused on unruptured intracranial aneurysms across diverse populations.

This resolution supports the goals of National Public Health Week by recognizing significant past public health achievements while highlighting current crises like declining life expectancy and rising overdose deaths. It urges increased investment in prevention and strengthening the public health workforce to address ongoing challenges. The measure also expresses concern over proposed government restructuring and budget cuts that could undermine these vital efforts. Ultimately, it calls for a national commitment to becoming the healthiest nation within a generation.

The Facilitating Lower Atmospheric Released Emissions Act (FLARE Act) permanently allows businesses to immediately deduct 100% of the cost for installing equipment that mitigates natural gas flaring and venting. This tax incentive applies to property placed in service after December 31, 2025, provided the equipment is not installed by a designated "foreign entity of concern." The goal is to encourage the capture, utilization, or controlled combustion of otherwise wasted natural gas.