Legislation

The Capacity Building for Business Districts Pilot Program Act of 2025 establishes a new federal program to strengthen local business districts, particularly in underserved communities. This program will award grants to larger intermediary organizations, which will then provide technical assistance, training, and capacity building support to smaller, local groups managing neighborhood commercial areas. The goal is to enhance the ability of these local organizations to drive economic growth, job creation, and revitalization in distressed and rural areas.

The Taiwan PLUS Act officially designates Taiwan as a key defense partner for the United States for an initial five-year period. This designation streamlines defense cooperation and the transfer of defense articles by treating Taiwan similarly to NATO Plus allies. The bill emphasizes Congress's view that this enhanced support is vital for U.S. national security interests. The Secretary of State may extend this special treatment in subsequent five-year increments, subject to national security review and notification to Congress.

This bill establishes new limitations and specific conditions for transit agencies making advance payments for bus rolling stock using federal funds. It permits advance payments without a manufacturer's performance bond, provided strict requirements are met. These requirements include having a fully executed contract and limiting the advance payment to no more than 20% of the total purchase order cost.

The Investing in Digital Skills Act amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to prioritize digital literacy within adult education programs. This legislation explicitly mandates that adult education must focus on equipping individuals with the necessary digital literacy skills for full participation in modern life. The bill updates definitions and program requirements to ensure digital proficiency is a core component of adult learning and workforce readiness.

The Title VIII Nursing Workforce Reauthorization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the nursing workforce by expanding federal grant support for advanced nursing education programs, including nurse practitioners and nurse-midwives. The bill updates funding rules to cover more training costs and allows nursing schools to invest in modern educational tools like simulation and telehealth technology. Furthermore, it authorizes increased appropriations through fiscal year 2030 to support these critical educational and practice expansion efforts.

The Safe Prescribing Through Reporting Act of 2025 amends federal law to allow the disclosure of patient records related to substance use disorder medications to state prescription drug monitoring programs. This sharing is contingent upon the specific requirements and mandates set forth by individual state laws. The goal is to enhance oversight and safety in prescribing these critical medications.

The Guam Temporary Workforce Act establishes a new requirement for Guam employers seeking to hire temporary, non-agricultural foreign workers under the H-2B visa program. Employers must first obtain a temporary labor certification approved by the Governor of Guam before filing a petition with the federal government. Upon receiving this certification, the federal government must approve the H-2B petition if the required labor market and job condition standards are met. This Act streamlines the federal approval process contingent upon local certification.

The Mental Health Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2025 establishes a federal loan and loan guarantee program managed by HHS to finance the construction, renovation, and equipment upgrades for mental health and substance use disorder treatment facilities. Priority will be given to projects that increase bed capacity in underserved areas, with at least 25% of funds reserved for pediatric facilities. Furthermore, the bill creates a dedicated Trust Fund to hold surplus revenue from the loan program, which Congress can then appropriate as block grants for community mental health services.

The Locally Led Restoration Act of 2025 aims to streamline the process for third-party contractors to remove hazardous fuels from forests to prevent wildfires, emphasizing salvage requirements in those projects. Additionally, the bill updates the minimum dollar threshold for publicly advertising timber sales in national forests to account for inflation, raising it from $10,000 to $55,000. This new threshold will be automatically adjusted annually based on the Consumer Price Index moving forward. The Act also mandates a report to Congress five years after enactment detailing the outcomes of these new contracting procedures.

This bill amends Medicare rules to require the detection of cognitive impairment during routine patient visits. Specifically, it mandates that cognitive screening using National Institute on Aging-approved tools be incorporated into both the Annual Wellness Visit and the Initial Preventive Physical Examination. These new requirements are set to take effect for services provided on or after January 1, 2026.

The End Diaper Need Act of 2025 aims to combat diaper insecurity by significantly increasing federal funding through the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program to support low-income families, medically complex children, and adults needing incontinence supplies. Additionally, the bill expands tax-advantaged healthcare accounts, such as HSAs and FSAs, to explicitly cover the cost of medically necessary diapers and related supplies. This legislation mandates states to partner with local organizations to distribute these essential items and requires program evaluations to track impact.

The American Land and Property Protection Act prohibits nationals and entities from adversarial nations, including China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran, from purchasing any public or private real estate within the United States. This measure grants the President authority to take necessary steps to block such transactions. The prohibition applies to nonresident aliens and foreign businesses connected to these specified countries or designated foreign terrorist organizations.

The Stop Aid for Foreign Expulsion (SAFE) Act prohibits the obligation or expenditure of any federal funds used to pay a foreign government or its agents for the detention of individuals. This restriction applies specifically when a U.S. court has already determined that the detention violates U.S. law. In essence, the bill prevents the U.S. government from funding foreign detentions deemed illegal under American legal standards.

The Reducing Waste in National Parks Act mandates the National Park Service (NPS) to establish a program to significantly reduce or eliminate the sale and distribution of disposable plastic products, including single-use water bottles, across all park units. Regional directors must implement these changes while considering operational costs, visitor safety regarding water access, and vendor contracts. The law also requires proactive visitor education and biennial reviews to assess the program's effectiveness and public impact.

This resolution expresses strong support for designating June 6, 2025, as "National Gun Violence Awareness Day" and June 2025 as "National Gun Violence Awareness Month." It highlights the devastating scale of gun violence in the U.S., recognizing the thousands of annual deaths and injuries across all demographics. The bill encourages Americans to wear orange on the designated day to honor victims and promote increased awareness and community action regarding gun safety.

The Safe Routes Improvement Act mandates that every state must designate a dedicated coordinator for its Safe Routes to School program. This coordinator will serve as the primary contact, and their duties will be strictly limited to this role unless otherwise directed by Congress. States can utilize existing staff and funds to support this position, and they must maintain up-to-date contact information online.

The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025 aims to modernize and increase transparency in the prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans. This bill mandates the adoption of electronic prior authorization systems and requires plans to publicly report detailed data on their approval, denial, and appeal rates. Furthermore, it establishes new standards to protect enrollees and grants the Secretary authority to enforce faster decision timelines for care requests.

The AG RESEARCH Act aims to modernize and strengthen the nation's agricultural research infrastructure to keep U.S. farming competitive. It establishes a new, mandatory funding stream to provide grants for the construction, repair, and equipment upgrades of agricultural research facilities. The bill also ensures that grant proposals are reviewed with input from experts at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

The Expedited Removal of Criminal Aliens Act establishes a new, faster process for the government to deport non-citizens who are members of criminal gangs or terrorist organizations, or who have been convicted of specific serious crimes. This process mandates detention and bars these individuals from seeking withholding of removal. The law specifically defines vulnerable groups for the purpose of determining which misdemeanor convictions qualify for this expedited action.

Connor's Law establishes a mandatory English language proficiency requirement for all commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators seeking a Commercial Driver's License (CDL). This ensures drivers can effectively communicate, understand traffic signs, and complete necessary documentation in English. Failure to meet this standard will result in an immediate out-of-service order for the driver.