Legislation

The **BURDEN Act** requires Members of Congress to personally certify compliance with Medicaid and SNAP work requirements each month to maintain their Federal Employees Health Benefits. This legislation mandates that elected officials must prove they meet these community engagement and work standards to keep their own health coverage.

This bill amends federal law to explicitly include violations related to rioting within the definition of "racketeering activity." By adding this specific crime to the list under Title 18, Section 1961(1), the legislation makes participation in such activities subject to serious federal racketeering charges. This change treats rioting violations similarly to other established offenses like bribery or extortion for the purposes of federal prosecution.

The Bubble Tax Modernization Act of 2025 simplifies federal excise tax treatment for certain low alcohol by volume (ABV) wines. This legislation reclassifies qualifying low ABV wines (under 8.5% ABV and low carbonation) as standard still wines for tax calculation purposes under Section 5041(h). These changes will take effect for wine removed from bond after December 31, 2025.

The Interagency Patent Coordination and Improvement Act of 2025 aims to enhance patent quality by improving information sharing between the USPTO and other federal agencies, particularly the FDA. It establishes an Interagency Task Force on Patents to coordinate reviews related to human drugs and biological products. The Act mandates a comprehensive report from the USPTO detailing the effectiveness of this new interagency cooperation.

The Student Loan Contract Act of 2025 renames the Master Promissory Note for certain federal student loans to a "student loan contract." This new contract can only be used for additional loans taken out within the same award year as the initial signing. The bill also updates disclosure requirements to ensure students receive a copy of this new contract.

The Protect Our TEETH Act mandates that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must seek a rapid evidence review from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine before proposing new national safety limits for fluoride in drinking water. The EPA must consider the findings of this review when finalizing any rule changes. This ensures a transparent, expert-backed assessment informs decisions regarding public water fluoridation standards.

The Supporting Premature Infant Nutrition Act of 2025 mandates that human milk fortifier, a specialized nutritional product for very young infants, must be covered without cost-sharing by Medicaid, CHIP, and most private health insurance plans starting in 2026. This coverage is required for infants born prematurely or those with specific medical needs where the fortifier is deemed medically necessary. The goal is to ensure vulnerable infants have access to essential nutrition without imposing financial burdens on families.

The Healing Partnerships for Survivors Act establishes new federal grants to foster stronger collaborations between health providers, behavioral health programs, disability services, and sexual assault organizations. These funds aim to create coordinated, trauma-informed systems of care that improve comprehensive support for survivors of sexual assault, including adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The grants will support activities like direct services, specialized training, and culturally relevant wellness options.

This bill makes necessary technical amendments to Title 49 of the U.S. Code, which governs transportation law. The primary focus is on cleaning up language, correcting cross-references, and ensuring consistency within the sections dealing with direct loans and loan guarantees. These changes improve the clarity and internal structure of the existing transportation code without altering major policies.

The Made in America Manufacturing Finance Act of 2025 establishes a new category for "small manufacturers" defined as domestic-only production businesses in specific sectors. This legislation significantly increases the maximum loan limits available to these qualifying small manufacturers under both the Small Business Act and the Small Business Investment Act. The bill aims to provide substantially greater access to capital for U.S.-based manufacturing businesses.

The Texture Positive Act of 2025 establishes a federal grant program administered by the Secretary of Labor to improve specialized training for cosmetologists. States can apply for these grants to award subgrants to qualified, established, minority- or women-owned training providers. These subgrants must fund the integration of comprehensive textured hair care techniques into cosmetology school curricula.

The Flood Insurance Relief Act allows individual taxpayers to deduct the cost of qualified flood insurance premiums paid during the tax year. This new deduction lowers taxable income, but it is unavailable for individuals with an adjusted gross income exceeding $200,000. The Act specifically defines qualified premiums to include coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program and certain private flood insurance policies. These changes apply to tax years beginning after the date the Act is enacted.

The Military Family GI Bill Promise Act expands the ability for service members to transfer their Post-9/11 education benefits to dependents. This legislation removes the requirement that the transfer must occur while the service member is actively serving. To qualify, individuals must now meet updated service requirements, including 10 years in the uniformed services with at least six years in the Armed Forces.

The Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families Act codifies Executive Order 14191 into law. This action establishes the order's provisions as statute. Importantly, this legislation does not alter existing standards for determining the federal funding eligibility or state actor status of private, religious, or parochial schools concerning Title IX or Fourteenth Amendment liability.

The Teachers Utilizing Tutoring Opportunities for Relief Act (TUTOR Act) establishes a new federal tax credit for eligible teachers who provide qualified academic tutoring outside of regular school hours. This credit offers a base amount of \$500, with the potential for an additional \$500 bonus for teachers who complete over 150 hours of tutoring annually. The provision is designed to incentivize and reward teachers for providing supplemental instruction in math, reading/writing, or science through the end of 2032.

This bill authorizes the use of Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center for a ceremony on September 3, 2025. The purpose of this event is to present the Congressional Gold Medals awarded to the Harlem Hellfighters. The Architect of the Capitol will oversee the necessary arrangements for the ceremony.

The Ensuring Safe and Toxic-Free Foods Act of 2025 overhauls the process for determining if substances used in food are "Generally Recognized As Safe" (GRAS), requiring manufacturers to provide extensive new safety data for current and future ingredients. This legislation mandates that the FDA review existing GRAS determinations and establishes a periodic safety reassessment program for all approved food chemicals based on modern scientific standards. Ultimately, the bill aims to strengthen public health protections by ensuring that all substances in the food supply meet rigorous, transparent safety criteria.

The Restoring Equal Opportunity Act seeks to eliminate the use of "disparate-impact liability" in federal law. This bill specifically prohibits lawsuits claiming employment or housing discrimination based on disparate impact, meaning challenges against seemingly neutral policies that disproportionately harm protected groups are no longer permitted. Furthermore, the Act nullifies specific prior Presidential approvals of regulations related to the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The Pesticide Injury Accountability Act of 2025 establishes a new federal private right of action allowing individuals to sue pesticide registrants in federal court for personal injury or property damage caused by pesticides. Successful plaintiffs may be awarded compensatory and punitive damages, though they cannot recover attorney's fees or court costs. This new federal option supplements, but does not replace, existing state laws regarding pesticide injury claims.

This bill directs the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) and NIST to develop voluntary guidelines for election offices on the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. It also mandates a study on how AI was actually used in the 2024 federal elections to inform future updates to these guidelines. The goal is to help election administrators manage the risks and opportunities presented by AI while protecting election integrity.