Legislation

This bill amends the Endangered Species Act to expand the criteria for federal agencies to seek exemptions from species protection requirements under Section 7. Exemptions can now be requested if compliance would negatively impact national security or cause significant adverse national or regional economic effects. The process requires initial reviews to ensure good faith efforts were made to find alternatives before the exemption is considered by the review committee.

This bill authorizes the International Boundary and Water Commission (IBWC) to accept external funds from federal and non-federal sources for wastewater treatment and flood control projects. These funds must be deposited into a dedicated Treasury account for use on authorized activities. The bill places a $5 million annual cap on using these funds for non-federal cost-sharing and prohibits accepting funds from entities connected to "foreign countries of concern." The IBWC must report annually to Congress on the use of these accepted funds.

This bill, the Striking and Locked Out Workers Healthcare Protection Act, prohibits employers from terminating or altering group health plan coverage for employees during a lawful strike or a lockout intended to gain leverage in collective bargaining. The Act establishes significant civil penalties, up to $\$150,000$ per violation, for employers who illegally cut off this coverage. Furthermore, it allows for individual directors and officers to be held personally liable for these violations.

The USDA Communication Regarding Oversight of Pesticides Act of 2025 (USDA CROP Act) mandates increased coordination between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) regarding pesticide regulation. This legislation requires the EPA to conduct economic analyses before implementing new pesticide risk measures and to consider USDA agronomic data during registration reviews. Furthermore, the Act ensures that EPA decisions involving endangered species protections are coordinated with the relevant agencies to balance ecological concerns with practical agricultural realities.

The Federal Bird Safe Buildings Act of 2025 mandates that the General Services Administration (GSA) implement bird-safe features in new and substantially renovated federal public buildings to prevent bird collisions. The GSA must develop and regularly update a design guide detailing best practices for construction and lighting to reduce bird fatalities. While most federal buildings must comply, exemptions exist for sites on the National Register of Historic Places and specific high-profile locations like the White House. The GSA must annually report to Congress on compliance and provide data on bird collisions where possible.

The Protecting Community Television Act revises the definition of a "franchise fee" under the Communications Act of 1934. This change modifies the language from "includes" to "means" and adds "other monetary assessment" to clarify what payments local governments can charge cable operators. Ultimately, this bill refines how franchise fees are calculated and assessed.

The TERMS Act mandates that online service providers clearly disclose their policies and processes for restricting user accounts, ensuring users know the rules before they sign up. Providers must give users advance written notice detailing the violation and appeal rights before suspending or terminating service, except in specific emergency situations. Furthermore, companies are required to publish annual, machine-readable reports detailing enforcement actions, including how violations were detected and the outcomes of user appeals. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with enforcing these transparency and notification requirements against all covered providers, including nonprofits.

The Apprenticeship Infrastructure Tax Credit Act of 2025 establishes a new federal tax credit for employers who hire and train W-2 employees in registered apprenticeship programs focused on infrastructure-related occupations. Employers can claim a credit of \$3,000 or \$6,000 per eligible apprentice for up to two years, provided the program requires substantial on-the-job training hours. This incentive is subject to an overall spending cap of \$5 billion in claimed credits.

The Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2025 reforms federal firearm background check procedures, establishing a formal petition process for buyers when the system delays a decision beyond 10 business days. This bill removes the previous 10-day time limit on background checks under the Brady Act while mandating extensive reporting from the GAO and FBI on the effectiveness and outcomes of these delayed transfers. Furthermore, the Attorney General must report on the law's impact on domestic violence victims within 150 days of enactment.

This Act temporarily suspends certain duties on imported bicycle parts for a 10-year period to encourage domestic assembly and manufacturing. Importers must declare their intent to use the parts for building complete bicycles in the U.S. to qualify for this duty exclusion. The law also mandates a report to Congress evaluating progress toward specific annual domestic production targets.

The Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025 addresses the funding and administration of the federal bankruptcy system. This bill primarily increases the compensation for Chapter 7 trustees to address decades of stagnant pay while adjusting various bankruptcy fees to ensure the U.S. Trustee System remains self-funded. Additionally, it extends the term limits for certain temporary bankruptcy judge offices.

The Maternal and Infant Syphilis Prevention Act addresses the alarming national spike in syphilis cases, particularly the resulting rise in devastating congenital syphilis cases. This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue comprehensive guidance to state Medicaid and CHIP programs on improving syphilis screening, education, and treatment access for pregnant women and infants. The goal is to promote consistent, timely testing—including third-trimester and delivery screening—to prevent nearly all cases of congenital syphilis.

The Confidence in Clean Water Permits Act clarifies when a facility is considered compliant with its clean water permit under Section 402 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. It broadens compliance to cover pollutants identified during the permit application process, even without specific numerical limits listed. Furthermore, the bill establishes clear requirements for the EPA Administrator when imposing additional water quality-based limitations on permits.

The Broadcast VOICES Act aims to increase ownership diversity in the broadcasting industry by incentivizing the sale of broadcast stations to socially disadvantaged individuals. It establishes a new FCC-managed tax certificate program for qualifying sales, capped at $50 million per transaction. Furthermore, the bill mandates regular FCC reporting on ownership diversity and creates a new tax credit for donating broadcast stations to qualifying training charities.

The Community TEAMS Act of 2025 establishes new federal grants to fund partnerships between medical schools and local health facilities in rural and medically underserved communities. These grants aim to expand clinical training opportunities for medical students in high-need areas. The ultimate goal is to encourage these students to establish long-term medical practices within those communities after graduation.

The SNAP Anti-Theft and Victim Compensation Act of 2025 significantly expands the USDA Inspector General's authority to investigate all forms of SNAP benefit theft, especially cyber fraud. This bill also authorizes states to reimburse households for stolen SNAP benefits due to electronic theft. Finally, it establishes a new civil penalty, doubling the value of stolen benefits, with collected funds dedicated to victim compensation and fraud investigation costs.

The Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act aims to penalize jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. It defines "sanctuary jurisdictions" as those that refuse to honor detainer requests or share immigration information, with an exception for protecting crime victims and witnesses. Furthermore, the bill makes these designated sanctuary jurisdictions ineligible for specific federal development and community improvement funds, such as EDA grants and CDBG funds. Cooperating local officers are granted liability protection when honoring valid federal detainer requests.

The No Passports for Terrorists and Traffickers Act mandates the denial or revocation of U.S. passports for individuals charged with or convicted of providing material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations. This measure grants the Secretary of State the authority to restrict travel for those deemed affiliated with terrorism. Exceptions exist for urgent humanitarian needs or safe return to the United States, and affected individuals retain the right to appeal the decision.

The Runaway and Homeless Youth and Trafficking Prevention Act of 2025 updates federal programs to better support and protect runaway, homeless, and trafficked youth. This legislation modernizes grant programs to ensure services are trauma-informed, culturally sensitive, and address critical needs like housing, education, and mental health. It also expands communication channels to include online outreach and strengthens coordination across federal agencies to combat youth homelessness and exploitation.

The STOP CSAM Act of 2025 significantly strengthens protections for child victims and witnesses in federal court by expanding definitions of harm and restricting the public disclosure of their identities. It mandates new, strict reporting duties for tech providers regarding child sexual exploitation material, backed by substantial criminal and civil penalties for non-compliance. Furthermore, the Act creates broad new civil remedies allowing victims to sue responsible online platforms and app stores for damages related to exploitation that occurred during their childhood. Finally, it improves restitution procedures, particularly for vulnerable victims, while ensuring existing state and tribal protections remain intact.