Legislation

The Veterans Homecare Choice Act of 2025 amends the Veterans Community Care Program to include nurse registries as recognized entities. This inclusion allows veterans to receive home healthcare services from registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, home health aides, companions, or homemakers working through these registries. Nurse registries are defined as entities that secure contracts for healthcare professionals, provided they meet state licensing requirements.

This joint resolution seeks to block the sale of specific defense articles and services to Israel, as detailed in Transmittal No. 250C. The resolution disapproves of the proposed enhancement or upgrade, which includes a significant increase in both Major Defense Equipment and non-MDE value. The justification for this disapproval cites recent cost increases associated with the sale.

The North Platte Canteen Congressional Gold Medal Act authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to present a Congressional Gold Medal to the individuals and communities who volunteered or donated to the North Platte Canteen during World War II. After the presentation, the medal will be given to the Lincoln County Historical Museum in North Platte, Nebraska, for public display. The Secretary of the Treasury is responsible for creating the gold medal, and the United States Mint is authorized to produce and sell bronze duplicates.

This joint resolution nullifies a rule issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The rule concerned the prohibition of creditors and consumer reporting agencies from using or sharing medical information. By disapproving the rule, this resolution prevents the regulation from taking effect.

This resolution recognizes AmeriCorps Week (March 9-15, 2025) to honor AmeriCorps members, alumni, and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers for their positive impact on communities. It celebrates 30 years of AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs and encourages public awareness of national and community service. The resolution also acknowledges the significant contributions of these volunteers and encourages people of all ages to explore service opportunities within these programs.

The "SHIELD Against CCP Act" establishes a working group within the Department of Homeland Security to counter threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) related to terrorism, cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation security. This group will examine and report on the Department's efforts, account for dedicated resources, identify policy gaps, and facilitate cooperation, while also sharing information with federal, state, and local partners. The Secretary of Homeland Security must submit annual reports to Congress for five years, assessing CCP threats and the activities of the working group. The working group will terminate seven years after its establishment.

The DRIVE Act of 2025 ensures that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides a mileage reimbursement rate for beneficiary travel that is at least equal to the federal rate provided to government employees. It also mandates that the VA process and pay these mileage allowances within 90 days of receiving a complete and accurate claim. This bill aims to reduce the financial burden on veterans when traveling to receive medical care.

The "Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act" shields water and wastewater treatment facilities from CERCLA liability for PFAS releases if they comply with applicable laws and handle PFAS during or after water treatment. This protection covers specific non-polymeric PFAS and applies to public water systems, treatment works, and related entities. The exemption does not apply in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

The DRAIN THE SWAMP Act mandates the relocation of at least 30% of Executive agency headquarters employees out of the Washington metropolitan area, adjusting their pay based on the new locality and prohibiting full-time telework. It also requires Executive agencies to reduce their headquarters office space by at least 30% and provide detailed workforce information in budget justifications to Congress. This act prioritizes geographic diversity and in-person customer service while streamlining agency operations.

The "Freedom First Lend Lease Act" empowers the President to lend or lease defense articles to Ukraine and Eastern European countries impacted by Russia's invasion, for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, temporarily waiving certain restrictions related to foreign assistance and arms export control for Ukraine. The bill requires expedited procedures for the delivery of defense articles and stipulates that standard laws regarding return, reimbursement, and repayment will apply. Presidential authority can only be delegated to Senate-confirmed officials.

The "Family-to-Family Reauthorization Act of 2025" extends funding for family-to-family health information centers. It allocates \$6,000,000 for April 1, 2025, to September 30, 2025, and \$9,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2029. This ensures continued support for families navigating healthcare for children with disabilities or special needs.

The "Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act" prevents payment card networks from assigning a unique merchant category code to firearm retailers. The Attorney General is responsible for enforcing the Act, investigating complaints, and reporting to Congress. This law overrides state and local laws regarding merchant category codes for firearm retailers and does not establish a private right of action.

The "Fix FEDVIP Age Act" amends existing law to extend Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) coverage to include dependent children under the age of 26.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to equalize the negotiation period for drug price negotiations under the Drug Price Negotiation Program. It changes the negotiation period for small-molecule drugs from 7 years to 11 years, matching the period already in place for biologic drugs. This adjustment aims to create parity in negotiation timelines between different types of medications, effective as if included in the original legislation.

The "Veterans Mental Health Crisis Referral Enhancement Act of 2025" establishes a pilot program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide veterans experiencing a mental health crisis with referrals to non-Department mental health care providers. This three-year program, operating in at least three locations, aims to connect veterans with approved providers within one week. The Act requires annual reports to Congress on the program's implementation and outcomes, as well as a final evaluation report. It also authorizes $3,000,000 to be appropriated for each of the fiscal years 2025 through 2027 to carry out the pilot program.

The Clock Hour Program Student Protection Act amends the Higher Education Act of 1965, Section 481(b) to allow training programs to exceed the state minimum for clock hours, up to 150% of the state or federal agency's minimum clock hour requirements, while still remaining eligible. This change applies to the 2024-2025 award year and beyond.

The Measures for Safer School Districts Act, or MSD Act, mandates that local educational agencies develop emergency response procedures, including parental notification protocols, for various threats and emergencies in schools. It also directs the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director to form a committee to create recommendations for installing or modifying interior and exterior doors in federally funded elementary and secondary schools. The CISA Director must then submit a report to Congress detailing the committee's findings and issue a final rule requiring the installation or modification of school doors to reinforce them. An additional $100,000,000 is authorized for the Homeland Security Grant Program for ten fiscal years to carry out this section.

The HEARTS Act of 2025 aims to reduce animal use in research and testing by promoting and funding alternative methods. It mandates the evaluation and utilization of non-animal methods before animal research is approved and establishes a National Center for Alternatives to Animals in Research and Testing within the NIH to develop, promote, and fund these alternatives. The Act also requires federally funded research entities to report on animal use and develop plans to reduce animal numbers in research.

The "Sporting Goods Excise Tax Modernization Act" modifies excise tax regulations by treating marketplace providers as the importer and seller for excise tax purposes on taxable sporting goods sold through their platform if the goods are shipped from outside the U.S. This applies when the marketplace provider lists the product, collects payments, and the manufacturer is not the marketplace provider. The regulations will be applied to sales in calendar quarters starting 60 days after the enactment of this Act.

The Federal Broadband Deployment Tracking Act requires the Assistant Secretary of Commerce to create a plan for tracking and increasing transparency in the processing of Form 299, which is required for communications use authorization on federal lands. The goal is to expedite the implementation process for broadband deployment and identify potential obstacles.