Legislation

The Restoring WIFIA Eligibility Act of 2025 modifies how the federal government budgets for certain financial assistance provided under the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA). This bill stipulates that if loan repayments for water infrastructure projects come entirely from non-Federal sources, the assistance must be counted as a direct loan or loan guarantee for budgetary scoring purposes. This change effectively treats these specific WIFIA loans as non-Federal financing in the federal budget.

The Highway Funding Transferability Improvement Act increases the flexibility for states to manage federal highway funds. This legislation raises the maximum percentage of designated federal highway funds that states can transfer to other approved highway purposes from 50 percent to 75 percent. This change allows states greater discretion in allocating federal resources for various highway projects.

The EdCOPS Act of 2025 establishes a new Public Safety Officer Education Assistance Program to aid in the recruitment and retention of law enforcement personnel. This program provides financial assistance for education, which eligible officers can use for themselves or transfer to their child. Benefits are contingent upon meeting specific service requirements and are administered by the Attorney General with regulations prioritizing those with greater financial need.

The International Nuclear Energy Financing Act of 2025 aims to counter the growing global influence of Russia and China in nuclear energy exports. This bill directs the U.S. Treasury to advocate within major multilateral development banks to remove barriers blocking financing for Western-standard nuclear projects. Furthermore, it establishes dedicated trust funds within these banks to provide competitive financial and technical assistance for building and operating advanced nuclear facilities abroad. The law also mandates annual reporting on the progress of these international nuclear financing efforts for seven years.

The Equitable Access to School Facilities Act aims to improve charter school facilities by supporting states in developing policies that enhance funding and financing options for school buildings. It authorizes a new competitive grant program for states to create or improve their own facility aid programs, prioritizing fairness and access, especially for schools in low-income and rural areas. Furthermore, the bill adjusts existing grant structures to allow states more flexibility in using funds for facility acquisition, renovation, and startup loans for high-quality charter schools.

The CHEERS Act amends tax law to allow businesses like restaurants and bars to claim commercial energy efficiency tax deductions for certain new energy-efficient draft beer equipment. This provision specifically targets stainless steel or aluminum kegs and commercial tap equipment used for dispensing alcohol. The goal is to encourage the adoption of energy-saving technology within the hospitality industry.

This Act amends the official map of the John H. Chafee Coastal Barrier Resources System to make a specific correction for the Town of North Topsail Beach, North Carolina. It directs the Secretary of the Interior to remove properties within the town from Unit L06 if they are already designated for non-conservation uses under existing local zoning ordinances. This change is strictly limited to the boundaries of North Topsail Beach.

The Primary Care Enhancement Act of 2025 updates tax rules for direct primary care service arrangements, allowing monthly subscription fees up to \$150 to qualify as deductible medical expenses. This legislation ensures that participation in these arrangements does not disqualify individuals from contributing to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). The \$150 limit will be adjusted for inflation starting in 2027.

The DRIVE Act prohibits the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from issuing any new rules that would mandate speed limiting devices on commercial motor vehicles. This legislation prevents the federal government from setting a maximum speed cap for eighteen-wheelers through future regulations.

The LIHEAP Parity Act aims to standardize how states receive funding under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This bill removes an outdated exception in the current funding allotment formula. Furthermore, it requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue clear regulations detailing the exact data sources and update frequency used to calculate each state's share of LIHEAP funds.

This bill establishes the Artificial Intelligence Public Awareness and Education Campaign Act to launch a national effort aimed at increasing public understanding of how AI is used daily. The campaign, led by the Secretary of Commerce, will focus on boosting consumer literacy regarding AI's capabilities, limitations, and associated risks like deepfakes and fraud. It mandates the development of accessible, multi-lingual educational materials and requires annual reporting on the campaign's success metrics for five years.

The STORM Act establishes a framework for the federal government to rapidly deploy private, pre-vetted health care workforce platforms during declared emergencies. This allows for the quick contracting of independent medical professionals from outside the affected state. The bill also facilitates the temporary waiver of state licensing requirements for these emergency responders, provided they meet federal criteria, while offering liability protections for good-faith emergency work.

The Small Business Disaster Coordination Act aims to improve the Small Business Administration's (SBA) disaster response by allowing its resource partners to provide assistance outside their normal service areas following a disaster declaration. This legislation also mandates better coordination and information sharing between the SBA, its partners, and other agencies regarding disaster loan applications and planning. The goal is to ensure small businesses receive timely and comprehensive support when disaster strikes.

The No Funds for Forced Labor Act expresses Congress's strong opposition to international financial institutions funding projects that use or risk using forced labor, particularly in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The bill directs the U.S. Treasury Secretary to instruct U.S. representatives at these institutions to vote against such loans. Furthermore, it mandates annual public reporting on actions taken to oppose financing linked to forced labor practices.

The **RESEARCHER Act** mandates that federal research agencies establish new policies to address the financial instability of graduate and postdoctoral researchers. It requires the development of guidelines to improve researcher stipends, benefits, and support systems like housing and childcare. The law also enhances data collection and mandates studies by the National Academies and GAO to track progress in supporting these critical members of the research workforce.

The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2025 streamlines firefighting operations by exempting the use of approved fire retardants during wildfire suppression from standard federal water pollution discharge permits. This change ensures that necessary aerial application of Forest Service-qualified products does not require an NPDES permit. The bill focuses on removing regulatory hurdles for essential wildfire control activities.

The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act updates federal law by establishing a specific, three-part test to define "obscene" visual content, focusing on prurient interest and lack of serious value. This legislation clarifies the standard for obscenity in pictures and graphic files across interstate communications. Additionally, it makes technical adjustments to existing communication laws, including changes regarding harassing phone calls.

The Research Advancing to Market Production for Innovators Act aims to accelerate the commercialization of federally funded small business research. It achieves this by improving the review process for SBIR/STTR proposals to prioritize market potential, establishing Technology Commercialization Officials within agencies, and increasing flexibility and assistance options for award recipients. The bill also mandates comprehensive annual reporting to track the real-world impact and success of these innovations.

The Disaster Relief for Farmworkers Act of 2025 establishes a new federal program to provide emergency financial assistance to farmworkers following covered disasters, including natural events and health crises. The Secretary of Agriculture will distribute grants through eligible farmworker organizations to help workers recover from income loss and support community resilience efforts. This act ensures that direct aid reaches migrant and seasonal farmworkers who have recently worked in agriculture.

The Preserving Rural Housing Investments Act clarifies tax rules regarding stock ownership in government-sponsored enterprises like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Specifically, it ensures that when determining if an organization qualifies as a tax-exempt entity, the U.S. government's ownership stake in these GSEs is disregarded. This change applies to tax years ending after July 30, 2008.