Legislation

The MIND Our Veterans Act of 2025 mandates significant improvements to mental health screening for service members leaving active duty. This legislation requires the Department of Defense to fully implement the separation health assessment using only validated screening tools for conditions like PTSD, alcohol use, and violence risk. Furthermore, it directs the VA-DoD Joint Executive Committee to assess and incorporate substance use screening into this mandatory assessment process.

This bill seeks to reauthorize the National Volcano Early Warning and Monitoring System through fiscal year 2029. It specifically authorizes funding for the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to operate and maintain the system.

The FOSTER Act establishes a new grant program to provide opioid abuse prevention and treatment services specifically for children, their caregivers, and kinship care families. This legislation amends the 21st Century Cures Act to allow states to use existing grant funds for these targeted opioid services, including workforce training and healthcare. The bill authorizes significant funding through fiscal year 2033, dedicating a portion specifically to these new opioid-related supports.

The ROTOR Act focuses on enhancing aviation safety and transparency, primarily by reforming exceptions that allow aircraft to disable their ADS-B Out tracking systems. It mandates that the FAA require most aircraft to install and use ADS-B In technology for improved situational awareness. Furthermore, the bill establishes new coordination offices and requires comprehensive safety reviews of airspace operations, particularly around major airports, involving both civil and military aviation.

The Federal Maritime Commission Reauthorization Act of 2025 proposes to reauthorize the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) for a set period, ensuring its continued operation and oversight of the U.S. ocean shipping industry. This legislation aims to maintain the FMC's authority to regulate common carriers and address issues related to competition and consumer protection in maritime commerce.

This Act directs the Secretary of the Interior to convey approximately 3,400 acres of federal land in La Paz County, Arizona, to the County for solar energy development. The County must pay the fair market value for the land and cover all associated transfer costs. The transfer includes strict conditions to protect Tribal cultural artifacts and withdraws the land from mining and mineral leasing.

This bill reauthorizes the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Act of 1994 through fiscal year 2031. It ensures continued funding for the program using existing authorized appropriations, without authorizing new funds. The legislation also updates the definition of "State" within the original Act.

The Healthy Competition for Better Care Act aims to promote lower costs and higher quality healthcare by banning anticompetitive contract terms between health plans and providers. Specifically, it prohibits agreements that restrict plans from steering patients toward better value care or that mandate favorable terms for provider affiliates. This legislation ensures health plans retain the flexibility to design networks and quality initiatives while fostering greater competition in the healthcare market.

The Background Check Expansion Act mandates that nearly all private firearm transfers between unlicensed individuals must go through a licensed dealer to complete a federal background check. This legislation establishes a universal background check requirement for these transactions, with specific exceptions for family gifts and law enforcement transfers. The bill aims to close loopholes in existing firearm transfer laws while explicitly prohibiting the creation of a national firearms registry.

The Enhancing Arctic Readiness Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of the Army to report on potential locations for expanding Arctic and cold weather training exercises. This report, due by January 15, 2026, must identify sites for key cold weather courses and analyze the logistical challenges of operating in extreme cold. The goal is to enhance the Army's readiness for operations in the Arctic environment.

This Act establishes a clear U.S. policy to advocate for Taiwan's full participation and membership in the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). It directs the Secretary of State to develop a comprehensive strategy to secure Taiwan's inclusion and involvement in Interpol's activities. Furthermore, the bill mandates reports to Congress detailing the strategy and assessing the threats Taiwan faces due to its current exclusion from global crime-fighting networks.

The Destruction of Hazardous Imports Act amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to expand the authority of the Secretary of Health and Human Services to destroy any imported article refused admission that poses a significant public health concern. This legislation also establishes a new prohibited act against the unauthorized handling or movement of these designated articles. These changes will take effect 180 days after the Act is enacted.

The Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act amends existing law to establish new, favorable repayment terms for the Arkansas Valley Conduit in Colorado. This bill mandates that 35% of the conduit's total cost must be covered by non-Interior Department entities during construction. The remaining balance can be repaid over up to 75 years at a reduced interest rate, contingent upon a finding of financial hardship for the contracting parties. Additionally, the responsible parties must assume all future operation and maintenance duties.

The Gold Reserve Transparency Act of 2025 mandates regular, independent audits of all U.S. gold reserves to verify inventory, assay purity, and review past transactions. It requires the Treasury Department to upgrade the quality of the nation's gold holdings to meet current "good delivery" standards within five years. All audit findings, with limited security redactions, must be made publicly available online.

The VISIT USA Act transfers \$160 million from the Travel Promotion Fund to Brand USA to support international tourism promotion. This funding is specifically allocated from existing unobligated balances collected through certain travel-related fees. The transfer is made within 30 days of the law's enactment.

The License Monopoly Prevention Act of 2025 aims to reform the export licensing system by preventing the issuance of exclusive, monopoly licenses for controlled technology exports. It mandates that the Bureau of Industry and Security conduct a competitive market review, in consultation with the International Trade Administration, before granting a license that would result in a single applicant having sole export rights. This ensures fairness, promotes competition, and maintains the credibility of U.S. export control practices.

This resolution establishes the rules for the House of Representatives to consider several distinct bills concerning environmental review efficiency, hardrock mining, gray wolf delisting, electric grid reliability, power plant retirements, and combating child trafficking. It waives most procedural objections and sets strict time limits for debate on each measure. The resolution streamlines the process, ensuring each bill moves quickly toward a final vote after limited discussion.

The Caring for Grieving Families Act of 2025 aims to ease the financial burden on families experiencing pregnancy loss. This legislation limits out-of-pocket costs for prenatal care when a pregnancy ends in miscarriage or stillbirth under certain health insurance plans. Specifically, it prevents insurers from charging excessive cost-sharing for prenatal services already received if the bundled payment for childbirth is not made.

The Dark and Quiet Skies Act of 2025 aims to protect federally funded astronomical research from interference caused by satellites and spacecraft. It establishes a Center of Excellence to foster cooperation between federal agencies and private industry in developing voluntary best practices for mitigating optical and radio interference. This Center will conduct research, test mitigation techniques, and share findings to ensure clear skies for scientific observation.

The Childhood Diabetes Reduction Act of 2025 aims to combat childhood diabetes through comprehensive measures focused on food labeling and advertising restrictions. It mandates new FDA warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages, foods with non-sugar sweeteners, and ultra-processed foods, alongside restrictions on advertising these products to children. Additionally, the Act establishes new NIH research programs on nutrition science and funds a national public education campaign on healthy eating and activity.