Legislation

The Contracting Accountability and Transparency (CAT) Act mandates that public housing agencies publicly disclose key details about their contracts on their websites. This new requirement, established by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, aims to increase transparency in public housing contracting. Agencies must post information such as vendor names, contract solicitation details, and submitted bids.

The Albuquerque Indian School Act of 2025 establishes a process to transfer approximately 9.89 acres of former federal land in Albuquerque, New Mexico, into trust for the benefit of 19 specified New Mexico Pueblos. This land, historically part of the Albuquerque Indian School, will be held for the educational, cultural, and economic development of the Pueblos. The transfer requires the relocation of existing federal tenants before the Secretary of the Interior takes the land into trust. The use of the land for gaming is expressly prohibited.

The **SPEED Act** (Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act) reforms the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to streamline the environmental review process for federal agency actions. It clarifies NEPA as a procedural statute, limits the scope of reviewable environmental effects, and establishes strict timelines for agency decisions. Furthermore, the bill imposes significant limitations on judicial review, setting narrow standards for courts to overturn agency compliance with procedural requirements.

The Pit River Land Transfer Act of 2025 transfers approximately 583.79 acres of federal land, known as the Four Corners Federal land, into trust for the benefit of the Pit River Tribe. This land will become part of the Tribe's Reservation and administered by the Secretary of the Interior. However, the bill explicitly prohibits the use of this newly acquired land for any gaming activities.

This bill officially designates November 2nd through November 8th as "Anti-Communism Week." The designation serves to remember the devastation caused by communist ideology and honor its victims worldwide. The President is requested to issue an annual proclamation calling for appropriate observance of this week.

This bill establishes the Recognizing the Role of Direct Support Professionals Act, aiming to formally recognize Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) by requiring the Office of Management and Budget to consider creating a distinct occupational category for them in the federal classification system. The legislation also authorizes significant federal grants to states to establish or expand paid family and medical leave programs. If a separate DSP classification is not created, a report explaining the decision must be submitted to Congress.

The Putting American Workers First Act amends the National Labor Relations Act to prohibit employers and labor organizations from employing or representing unauthorized aliens. This measure establishes these actions as unfair labor practices, though it includes a good-faith exception based on using established employment verification systems. Furthermore, discharging an unauthorized alien cannot be used as evidence of animus against an employee's protected labor rights.

The MERICA Act of 2025 seeks to update the Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands by extending its leasing authority to cover hardrock minerals. This bill specifically defines hardrock minerals to include base metals, precious metals, and gemstones, while excluding resources like coal, oil, and gas. This change expands the federal leasing framework for certain hardrock mineral deposits on acquired lands.

The Greenlighting Growth Act modifies financial reporting requirements for emerging growth companies during their initial public offerings and exchange registrations. Specifically, it reduces the need for these companies to present historical financial statements from acquired companies or their own prior periods. This aims to streamline the process for emerging companies going public or listing on an exchange.

The Federal Supervisor Education Act mandates that all federal agencies establish comprehensive, mandatory training programs for their supervisors. These programs must cover essential management skills, performance goal setting, employee development, and adherence to federal employment law. Agencies are required to assess the effectiveness of this training and ensure supervisors meet defined management competencies to effectively lead their teams and achieve agency missions.

This act establishes the **Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025**. It amends existing law to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Institute specifically within the State of Utah. This new institute will focus on research related to forest health and wildfire prevention in the region.

The Advancing Access to Telehealth Act aims to permanently extend key Medicare telehealth flexibilities that were established during the COVID-19 public health emergency. This legislation makes permanent expanded access for beneficiaries to receive care from home, broadens the scope of eligible practitioners, and ensures continued coverage for audio-only telehealth services. Furthermore, it eliminates several temporary in-person visit requirements for mental health, substance use disorder, and ESRD treatments provided via telehealth.

This bill establishes the Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act of 2025 to create a new federal grant program supporting transportation needs for hosting major international sporting events. The program provides funding to state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments for eligible transportation projects within 100 miles of the event site. It also authorizes the Secretary of Transportation to provide technical and planning assistance to ensure smooth movement of people and goods during these covered events.

The ESTUARIES Act amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to officially add the Mississippi Sound to the National Estuary Program and extends the program's funding authorization through fiscal year 2031. However, the bill places specific restrictions on the EPA Administrator regarding the use of funds to implement this addition during fiscal years 2025 and 2026. This ensures that the expansion of the program is contingent upon specific funding levels in the near term.

The College Athletics Reform Act establishes comprehensive federal standards for college athletics, primarily by securing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights for college athletes and prohibiting restrictions on their ability to earn compensation or obtain professional representation. The bill also introduces new regulations for sports agents, mandates significant expansion of financial and participation data disclosure by institutions, and establishes a new Commission to study and recommend future governance structures for college sports. Finally, it amends broadcasting law to exempt certain large athletic association media agreements from antitrust scrutiny.

The Native Arts and Culture Promotion Act amends existing legislation to strengthen support for Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian arts and culture. This bill specifically revises grant requirements for Native Hawaiian art and culture, ensuring that governing boards are composed of recognized Native Hawaiian cultural experts serving fixed terms. These changes aim to enhance the integrity and representation within the administration of cultural development funds.

This act establishes the rules for foreign colleges and universities offering distance education programs to be eligible for federal student aid. Eligibility is limited to programs where distance education makes up no more than 12.5% of the coursework. Furthermore, these programs must be overseen by an external entity and require students receiving federal aid to be physically present in the foreign institution's home country during instruction.

This Act, the Indo-Pacific Partner and Ally Tariff Repeal Act, terminates tariffs imposed on goods from 40 specific Indo-Pacific allies and partners. Congress finds that these tariffs undermine collective efforts against the Chinese Communist Party's coercive actions. The bill immediately repeals the tariffs established under Executive Orders 14257 and 14326.

The REAP Modernization Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) by prioritizing climate benefits and expanding eligibility to producer and rural electric cooperatives. This bill increases maximum grant and loan amounts while requiring a streamlined application process and technical assistance for applicants. It also mandates a study on dual-use energy systems that combine renewable energy and agricultural production on the same land.

This Act mandates that federal agencies create and maintain detailed inventories of all their software assets to identify inefficiencies and waste. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) will then conduct a comprehensive assessment of these inventories to find government-wide savings opportunities. Agencies must use these findings to develop plans to consolidate licenses and reinvest at least 25% of resulting savings into IT modernization.