Legislation

The Medical Research for Our Troops Act increases the budget for the Defense Health Agency's research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E). This legislation specifically restores and increases funding for these critical defense health programs. The restored funds must be used to support all previously directed medical research programs and initiatives as outlined in prior appropriations acts.

The Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship (FUELS) Act revises the storage capacity thresholds that trigger the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) rule for preventing oil spills into navigable waters. This legislation significantly increases the general aggregate aboveground storage capacity threshold from 20,000 to 42,000 gallons. The Act also modifies specific secondary containment capacity requirements.

The Reimagining Inclusive Arts Education Act establishes a new competitive grant program to fund activities that enhance and ensure inclusive arts education for children with disabilities. These grants will support organizations in developing new teaching methods, providing professional training, and adapting materials to increase access. Priority will be given to entities serving schools already receiving Title I funding, with an authorization of $15 million across five fiscal years.

The Water Quality Technology Availability Act requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to base national water pollution limits on technology that is currently commercially available in the United States. This change ensures that effluent limitation guidelines reflect practical, accessible pollution control solutions. The bill amends existing law to clarify the standard the EPA must use when setting industry discharge rules.

The ENROLL Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the ACA Navigator program by expanding their required duties to include educating the public on Medicaid and CHIP. This legislation mandates that federally-run Marketplaces prioritize qualified applicants and ensures dedicated annual funding for Navigator grants in those states. Furthermore, Navigators will now be required to maintain a physical presence to provide in-person assistance throughout the year.

The Clarifying Federal General Permits Act amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act to clarify the EPA Administrator's authority for issuing general permits for water pollution discharges. This legislation ensures continuity of coverage for existing discharges if the EPA fails to issue a timely notice regarding the expiration or renewal of a general permit. Essentially, existing permit terms remain in effect until a new permit is issued or a specific wind-down period concludes.

The Student-athlete Protections and Opportunities through Rights, Transparency, and Safety Act (SPORTS Act) establishes federal guidelines for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights, ensuring student-athletes can profit from their identity while protecting them from undue restrictions. The bill mandates transparency regarding NIL compensation and requires athletic organizations to register agents and create market value databases. Furthermore, it imposes new requirements on institutions receiving federal funding, including post-graduation medical coverage and protection for athletic scholarships. Finally, this Act preempts conflicting state and local laws concerning athlete compensation and employment status.

The Empowering Parents’ Healthcare Choices Act allows parents with separate health insurance plans to jointly choose which plan will serve as the primary coverage for their newborn child. This choice must be communicated to the insurers within 60 days of the child's birth. This new flexibility applies to coverage decisions for children born on or after January 1, 2026.

The STABLE GENIUS Act prohibits federal candidates and officeholders from trading or holding digital assets like cryptocurrency while running for or serving in office. This measure aims to prevent conflicts of interest by banning covered individuals from buying, selling, or sponsoring these investments during specific timeframes. Officials may only retain assets by placing them into an approved, strictly managed qualified blind trust. Violators face significant civil penalties, and knowing, large-scale violations can result in criminal prosecution and imprisonment.

The Stop the Baseline Bloat Act of 2025 aims to reform how federal budget baselines are calculated under existing deficit control laws. Specifically, this bill mandates that funding designated as "emergency requirements" or provided through supplemental appropriations must be excluded when determining the baseline spending level. This change seeks to prevent temporary, non-recurring spending from artificially inflating future budget caps.

The Jurisdictional Determination Backlog Reduction Act mandates the Secretary of the Army to eliminate the existing backlog of applications for certain permits and jurisdictional determinations with the Army Corps of Engineers. Within 60 days of enactment, the Corps must prioritize and expedite the review of all pending applications existing as of June 5, 2025. This is achieved by immediately shifting or adding necessary staff and resources to clear the accumulated workload.

The Valor Has No Expiration Act removes the time limits for recommending military decorations for service members whose records were classified or restricted. This allows the Secretaries of the military branches to review and award decorations earned by veterans dating back to January 1, 1940. The bill establishes a formal review process and reporting requirements for these delayed award considerations.

The Wildfire Coordination Act establishes a permanent Wildfire Science and Technology Advisory Board to bridge the gap between wildfire research and practical federal operations. This diverse board, comprising federal leaders and outside experts, will prioritize research, facilitate its implementation, and disseminate best practices. The Act authorizes $10 million to support the Board's mission of improving national wildfire response through applied science.

The Foreign Animal Disease Prevention, Surveillance, and Rapid Response Act of 2025 reauthorizes and significantly increases mandatory funding levels for critical animal disease prevention and management programs through 2031. This legislation ensures sustained financial support for national animal health laboratories, surveillance efforts, and preparedness initiatives. The bill updates funding allocations to enhance the nation's ability to rapidly respond to potential foreign animal disease outbreaks.

The Federal Government Reform Act of 2025 enacts sweeping changes across federal operations, including closing the Federal Executive Institute and modernizing federal probationary periods for employees. The bill also mandates agencies to reduce criminal penalties in regulations and requires the digitization and faster publication of federal rules. Furthermore, it directs the Treasury Department to upgrade payment systems to reduce reliance on outdated technology and paper checks.

The Putting American Students First Act amends eligibility requirements for participation in Federal TRIO educational opportunity programs. This bill mandates strict citizenship and residency criteria for all participants, explicitly prohibiting any waivers to these new rules. It ensures that only U.S. nationals, permanent residents, and certain other lawfully present individuals qualify for these federally funded programs.

The Choose Medicare Act establishes a new "Medicare Part E Public Health Plan" offering comprehensive coverage, including reproductive services, available on and off the ACA exchanges. It also caps annual out-of-pocket spending for traditional Medicare Part A and B services starting in 2027. Furthermore, the bill enhances marketplace subsidies by benchmarking them against Gold plans and makes enhanced cost-sharing reductions permanent. Finally, it requires employers who do not offer adequate coverage to refer employees to health insurance navigators.

The Retired Law Enforcement Officers Continuing Service Act establishes a grant program to allow law enforcement agencies to hire retired officers for specialized, non-arrest support roles, such as training and investigative assistance. This funding requires rigorous background checks for the retired personnel and mandates annual audits by the Department of Justice Inspector General to ensure accountability. Agencies with unresolved audit findings face exclusion from future funding, while the Attorney General must report on grant distribution and potential funding overlaps to Congress.

This bill amends federal law to allow owners of U.S.-flagged vessels and marine terminal operators to establish Capital Construction Funds. These funds can now be used for purchasing, replacing, or upgrading eligible cargo handling equipment at U.S. marine terminals. The legislation also updates definitions and establishes rules regarding fund deposits, qualified withdrawals, and prohibits the use of funds for certain automated or China-manufactured equipment.

The Baseload Reliability Protection Act prohibits owners of certain dispatchable power plants in areas facing high or elevated risk of electricity shortages from retiring those units or switching their fuel source. Owners can seek an exemption from this ban from FERC, which must grant it if continued operation causes financial hardship or if retirement does not harm grid reliability. The Department of Energy may offer financial assistance to keep essential, money-losing plants operational.