Legislation

The "Pardon Transparency and Accountability Act of 2025" mandates increased transparency and accountability in the presidential pardon process. It requires the President to provide a written explanation for any pardon decision, compels the Pardon Attorney to prepare a Justice Impact Statement that includes victim input, and amends the Lobbying Disclosure Act to include lobbying for pardons. Additionally, the bill requires the Pardon Attorney to conduct regular studies on compliance with the Act and report findings to Congress.

The Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act of 2025 updates and expands the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Research and Control Act of 1998. It enhances research, monitoring, and response efforts related to harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in marine, estuarine, and freshwater systems, and establishes a national observing network and incubator program. The act also allows for waivers of non-federal share requirements and authorizes contracts and grants to assess the impacts of significant events, with specific considerations for Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Native Hawaiian organizations. Finally, it authorizes specific appropriations for these activities through 2030.

The "CBO Show Your Work Act" mandates the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to publicly release the fiscal, policy, and data models used for cost estimates of legislation, along with any updates. This allows for transparency and replication of CBO's analyses by external parties. The CBO must also disclose data, programs, assumptions, and computational details used in preparing cost estimates, while protecting confidential data by providing detailed variable lists, statistics, and contact information for data access.

The Acequia Communities Empowered by Qualifying Upgrades for Infrastructure Act, or ACEQUIA Act, aims to support farmers and ranchers who rely on acequia systems by ensuring they have access to drought and disaster assistance. It amends existing legislation to provide aid for all losses when the Secretary of Agriculture makes a disaster determination. Additionally, the Act exempts acequias from needing special use permits for routine maintenance and minor improvements on Federal land and requires the Department of Agriculture to report on assistance provided to these producers.

This bill, named the "Crow Revenue Act," facilitates land and mineral interest exchanges involving the Bull Mountains Lease, the Hope Family Trust, and the Crow Tribe of Montana. It mandates the Secretary of the Interior to accept the relinquishment of the Bull Mountains Lease, transfer mineral interests to the Tribe, and convey U.S. rights in the Bull Mountains Tracts to the Hope Family Trust. The conveyed mineral interests to the Tribe will be held in trust by the United States and are exempt from state taxation, ensuring that the Tribe's federal benefits remain unaffected by this Act.

This joint resolution seeks to block the proposed foreign military sale of specific defense articles and services to Israel. The resolution specifically disapproves the sale of thousands of bombs, guidance kits, and fuzes. If passed, this resolution would prevent the United States from providing this military equipment to Israel.

The "Achieving Choice in Education Act" (ACE Act) expands the use of 529 savings accounts to cover a broader range of educational expenses, including homeschooling costs, and increases the distribution limit for elementary and secondary education. The act also raises the gift tax exclusion for 529 plan contributions and restricts tax-exempt bond eligibility to states that have implemented certain school choice programs meeting specific criteria for student eligibility and funding. These school choice programs include tax credit scholarship programs, voucher programs, education savings accounts, and refundable tax credits for private education expenses.

The Vital Documents Access for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Act of 2025 establishes an Interagency Task Force to improve unaccompanied homeless youth access to vital documents like social security cards and birth certificates. The task force will assess challenges, recommend policies, establish data collection methods, and enhance collaboration among agencies. It will submit reports to Congress with findings and recommendations for legislative and administrative action to improve access to housing, healthcare, and social services. The task force will terminate three years after it is established.

The "Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act" establishes an Interagency Committee to coordinate federal research, development, and deployment activities related to soil carbon sequestration. The committee will develop a strategic plan, propose agency roles, oversee working groups, and report to Congress on soil carbon sequestration research and monitoring. It encourages collaboration between federal agencies, soil scientists, and agricultural communities to advance soil carbon sequestration. An appropriation of $10,000,000 is authorized to carry out the Act.

This joint resolution seeks to block the proposed sale of 3,000 AGM114 Hellfire missiles and related equipment and support to Israel. It covers a range of Hellfire missile variants and associated services, aiming to prevent the transfer of these defense articles.

The United States Reciprocal Trade Act aims to address trade imbalances by granting the President authority to impose reciprocal tariffs on goods from countries with significantly higher tariffs or non-tariff barriers on U.S. goods. It requires the President to notify Congress before taking action and allows Congress to reject Presidential tariffs through a disapproval resolution. The Act also directs the USTR to report on trade agreements and sets a sunset clause on the President's authority to impose import duties, with a possible extension subject to congressional approval. Ultimately, this bill seeks to empower the President to negotiate fairer trade terms and protect American businesses, farmers, and workers by ensuring reciprocal treatment in international trade.

The "Resiliency for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act" allows the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to provide temporary grazing land to permit or lease holders whose original land is unusable due to natural disasters. It outlines terms for these temporary permits, prioritizing ecological conditions and coordination between agencies. The bill ensures temporary use doesn't alter original permit terms or future grazing rights and requires the Secretaries to establish implementation guidelines and evaluate land health conditions.

The "Access to Pediatric Technologies Act of 2025" aims to improve children's access to innovative medical devices by directing the Secretary to set national payment values for qualifying pediatric technologies under the physician fee schedule, starting in 2026. Manufacturers can request these payment values, providing necessary data to support the technology's pediatric qualification. This act is intended to facilitate access to these technologies without mandating coverage or altering existing requirements.

This bill recognizes the historical and cultural significance of the Harlem Renaissance, acknowledging its profound impact on African American identity, art, and the Civil Rights Movement. It supports the preservation and celebration of Harlem's unique cultural assets and promotes initiatives that honor the legacy of this pivotal era in American history. The bill also aims to protect Harlem's character against actions that could displace low- and moderate-income residents.

The "Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act" prohibits abortions performed because of a belief or diagnosis that an unborn child has Down syndrome, and establishes criminal penalties and civil remedies for violations. This bill also requires medical professionals to ask pregnant women about any knowledge or evidence concerning the unborn child having Down syndrome and informs them of the prohibitions of abortion under this section. Additionally, the bill specifies that violations will be considered discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act, potentially resulting in a loss of federal funding.

This resolution commemorates the sacrifices of the Ukrainian people three years after Russia's invasion, condemning Russia's aggression and affirming solidarity with Ukraine. It highlights the extensive human cost, including civilian deaths, displacement, and the abduction of children, while also noting the significant damage to Ukraine's infrastructure. The resolution reaffirms the U.S. commitment to supporting Ukraine's defense, holding Russia accountable, and restoring Ukraine's territorial integrity, while also acknowledging Ukraine's critical role in defending democratic values and European security. It also does not recognize Russia's annexation of Crimea.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Continuing Professional Education Modernization Act increases the reimbursement amount for continuing professional education expenses for certain full-time health care professionals of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill requires the Secretary to reimburse certain health care professionals up to $2,000 per year and allows the Secretary to adjust the dollar amounts, provided that the reimbursement is not less than $2,000 per year for each individual.

The Noncontiguous Shipping Relief Act of 2024 modifies regulations for foreign freight vessels operating in noncontiguous trade, such as between the U.S. mainland and Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories. It allows foreign vessels meeting specific criteria to transport goods in these trades under certain conditions, including documentation and adherence to labor standards. The Act also includes provisions related to jurisdiction in injury or death cases, participation in compensation plans, and compliance with environmental standards. Additionally, it sets requirements for non-U.S. citizens irregularly engaging in domestic coastwise trade.

The "Restoring Trade Fairness Act" suspends normal trade relations with China, leading to increased tariffs on Chinese goods, with the goal of countering unfair trade practices and bolstering domestic industries. It modifies duty rates, phases in increases, and allows the President to further adjust duties and establish quotas to reduce reliance on Chinese imports. The Act also establishes a trust fund to compensate U.S. producers for losses due to Chinese retaliation and allocates remaining funds to defense spending. Additionally, it directs changes to the U.S. list of agreed-upon duty rates on goods at the World Trade Organization and prohibits duty-free entry for articles originating from covered nations, even if valued at $800 or less.

The "Improving Federal Assistance to Families Act" directs the Census Bureau to create a "Regionally Adjusted Poverty Line" that accounts for regional cost of living differences. It mandates the use of either this new line or the existing federal poverty line, whichever results in a higher poverty rate for each state, for determining eligibility for federal programs. The Act also requires a GAO study on the ALICE threshold as an alternative poverty measure and its potential integration into federal program eligibility standards.