Legislation

The Auto Data Privacy and Autonomy Act establishes strict rules for vehicle manufacturers regarding the collection, use, and sharing of data generated by covered vehicles. It mandates that manufacturers must obtain explicit, purpose-specific consent from owners or users before accessing or sharing this data. Furthermore, the Act grants owners the right to access, delete, and correct their vehicle data, while empowering the FTC to enforce these privacy protections.

The American Franchise Act aims to clarify the legal relationship between franchisors and franchisees by defining when a franchisor can be considered a joint employer of a franchisee's staff. This legislation specifies that joint employer status only applies if the franchisor exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over essential terms of employment, such as wages, hours, and discipline. The Act provides detailed examples of what actions do and do not constitute this level of direct control over the franchisee's employees. This clarification is intended to stabilize the franchising business model against inconsistent legal interpretations.

The CLEAR Act of 2025 invalidates a specific Forest Service rule concerning criminal prohibitions. This legislation strips the rule of all legal force and explicitly prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from enforcing it or any substantially similar future rule.

This Act prohibits Medicare-approved medical residency programs from requiring participation in abortion-related training. Programs that offer abortion training must ensure it is strictly voluntary, allowing residents to opt-in without facing discrimination. This ensures medical residents are not compelled to participate in abortion procedures, assistance, or referrals against their conscience.

The MAP for Care Act establishes a voluntary Medicare Advance Directive Certification Program to encourage Medicare beneficiaries to create and maintain certified advance directives. This program requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to accredit vendors who provide secure, accessible electronic living wills or durable powers of attorney. The goal is to ensure beneficiaries' healthcare wishes are known and followed if they become incapacitated.

The Black Lung Benefits Improvement Act of 2025 aims to significantly reform benefits for coal miners suffering from black lung disease by streamlining claims, increasing payments, and strengthening the trust fund. It establishes new assistance programs, creates automatic eligibility presumptions for severe cases, and holds mining companies more accountable for securing payments. Additionally, the bill formally establishes the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor for administrative stability and includes technical updates to modernize the Black Lung Benefits Act.

The Stopping Grinch Bots Act of 2025 makes it illegal to use automated means to bypass online purchasing limits or inventory controls set by sellers. This prohibits the circumvention of technological controls used to enforce sales restrictions. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and state attorneys general are granted authority to enforce these prohibitions against unfair and deceptive practices.

The Permit Reform In Mining for Energy and Defense Act (PRIMED Act) streamlines federal permitting for critical defense-related mining and processing projects. It requires specific actions taken by the Secretary of Defense under the Defense Production Act to be treated as "covered projects" under the FAST Act's permitting improvement framework. This ensures these projects supporting domestic defense supply chains are tracked on the federal Permitting Dashboard, though project sponsors can opt out of this designation.

The Upholding Protections for Unaccompanied Children Act of 2025 aims to strengthen protections for unaccompanied children navigating the immigration system. This bill exempts these children from various immigration-related fees, including those for asylum and employment authorization. Furthermore, it places limitations on body examinations and restricts the sharing of sponsor information with immigration enforcement agencies. The Act also mandates the refund of previously paid fees that are now waived.

The Decreasing Russian Oil Profits Act of 2025 imposes sanctions on foreign persons involved in purchasing or importing Russian oil and petroleum products. The President has the authority to grant limited exceptions, such as allowing funds to be deposited into an account specifically designated to support Ukraine. These sanctions will terminate five years after the date of enactment.

The Keeping All Students Safe Act prohibits dangerous restraint and seclusion practices in federally funded schools and educational programs. It establishes strict national standards for when physical restraint is permitted, mandates comprehensive staff training, and empowers parents with immediate notification rights and the ability to sue for violations. Furthermore, the bill requires states to submit plans, publicly report data on restraint incidents, and utilize federal grants to implement preventative, evidence-based safety strategies.

The Less Than Lethal Act aims to reduce the tax burden on certain non-lethal defense and safety devices. This bill exempts qualifying less-than-lethal projectile devices from the federal excise tax on firearms and ammunition. Furthermore, it removes these specific devices from the regulatory requirements of the National Firearms Act. The legislation establishes clear criteria for what qualifies as an exempt device, focusing on projectile speed and design intent.

The Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2025 overhauls the process for closing nuclear power facilities by mandating increased public and state consultation for decommissioning plans and license transfers. It establishes new grant programs to fund local community advisory boards and provides direct financial assistance to communities dealing with stranded waste and economic disruption. Furthermore, the bill creates dedicated economic recovery accounts funded by plant operators to support long-term development in host communities.

This Act expands federal assistance available after wildfires to include environmental remediation efforts alongside traditional fire suppression. It authorizes debris removal from both public and private lands following eligible fires, even without a major disaster declaration. Furthermore, the bill allows the EPA to deploy resources to help states manage hazardous waste and substances during post-fire cleanup.

The Fair Licensing for Operations of Water Structures (FLOWS) Act streamlines federal oversight for existing hydropower facilities by allowing routine maintenance and minor alterations without prior FERC approval. It also establishes an expedited licensing process for small, non-impounding hydrokinetic energy projects up to 5 megawatts. This legislation aims to balance operational flexibility for current licensees with the promotion of new, small-scale renewable energy generation.

The Biosimilar Inspection Modernization Act of 2025 mandates the development of a risk-based inspection schedule for facilities manufacturing biosimilar biological products to prioritize public health protection. It also requires the FDA to update inspection processes, increase the use of remote assessments, and develop a strategic plan for improving domestic biosimilar facility oversight. Furthermore, the bill calls for a public meeting and report on expanding the use of mutual recognition agreements for international inspections.

The Global Climate Resilience Act of 2025 establishes programs to help vulnerable nations adapt to climate change impacts. It authorizes the reduction of U.S. debt owed by eligible, climate-vulnerable countries, provided the savings are reinvested in resilience activities. Furthermore, the Act directs the U.S. to advocate within international financial institutions for debt restructuring and the creation of an automatic climate insurance program through the World Bank.

The Investing in American Workers Act establishes a new tax credit for employers who invest in job training for their non-highly paid employees that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential. This credit is calculated based on the increase in qualified training expenses over the average of the prior three years. Qualified small businesses may elect to apply a portion of this credit against their payroll taxes instead of income tax.

The Medicare Investment and Gun Violence Prevention Act restores the federal tax on firearm transfers and manufacturing to \$200 per firearm. Additionally, it allocates \$1.7 billion in new funding to the Medicare Part A Hospital Insurance Trust Fund for fiscal year 2026.

The Essential Caregivers Act of 2025 establishes a resident's right to designate at least one "essential caregiver" who must be granted in-person access to the resident in healthcare facilities, even during periods of restricted visitation. This right is designed to prevent the isolation and decline seen during the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring family support remains available. Facilities can only deny access under strict, time-limited conditions if the caregiver violates agreed-upon safety protocols.