Legislation

The Justice for Fallen Law Enforcement Act amends Title 18 of the U.S. Code to establish harsher penalties for those who harm or murder law enforcement officers, including a minimum 20-year prison sentence for acts resulting in serious injury and sentencing as if for first-degree murder for killings. These changes apply if the crime involves interstate commerce or a weapon that has crossed state lines. The Attorney General must report to the Senate and House Judiciary Committees on prosecutions resulting from this Act within three years.

The "Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act" classifies fentanyl-related substances as Schedule I drugs under the Controlled Substances Act, making them subject to the strictest controls and penalties. This classification applies to any substance structurally related to fentanyl with specific chemical modifications, unless explicitly exempted or listed in another schedule. The goal of this act is to combat the proliferation of dangerous fentanyl analogues and reduce overdose deaths. It goes into effect one day after it is enacted.

This bill removes the lesser prairie-chicken from the list of threatened and endangered species and prohibits any future listing under the Endangered Species Act.

The "National Training Center for Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act" directs the Attorney General and Secretary of Homeland Security to establish training programs and facilities for counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS). It requires the development of standards for C-UAS operator training and certification, emphasizing aviation safety and interagency coordination. This act also updates the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to include these C-UAS training provisions.

The Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act repeals section 136 of the Clean Air Act, which likely taxes natural gas. Additionally, any funds that were previously allocated under the repealed section are rescinded, meaning they are no longer available for their original purpose.

This resolution authorizes the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation to spend money from the Senate's contingent fund, hire staff, and utilize personnel from other government departments or agencies from March 1, 2025, through February 28, 2027. It sets specific expense limits for the committee during different periods, including allocations for consultants and staff training. The resolution also outlines the procedure for covering committee expenses, lists exceptions for voucher requirements, and authorizes agency contributions related to committee employee compensation.

The "Cleaner Air Spaces Act of 2025" authorizes the EPA Administrator to provide grants to air pollution control agencies, including Tribal agencies, for establishing cleaner air space programs. These programs will establish clean air centers, distribute air filtration units and replacement filters to covered households in areas at risk of wildfire smoke, and provide educational materials. Grant applicants must partner with community-based organizations and meet specific requirements for program implementation, data collection, and reporting. The act allocates $30,000,000 for the program from fiscal years 2026 through 2028.

The "Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2025" allows Congress to overturn multiple regulations finalized at the end of a President's term with a single vote. This act streamlines the process for Congress to review and potentially reject regulations submitted by agencies during the final months of a presidential administration. By disapproving of these "midnight rules" through a joint resolution, Congress can prevent them from taking effect.

The PRECEPT Nurses Act establishes a $2,000 tax credit for nurses who serve at least 200 hours per year as preceptors in designated health professional shortage areas. To qualify, preceptors must supervise and mentor nursing students, advanced practice nursing students, or newly hired nurses and receive certification from a partnering academic institution or clinical site. The Treasury Secretary will report to Congress on the credit's usage and effectiveness, which is set to expire after 2032. This act aims to incentivize experienced nurses to train the next generation, particularly in underserved communities.

The Headwaters Protection Act of 2025 reauthorizes and improves the Water Source Protection Program by expanding project eligibility, prioritizing projects that address drought and wildfire risks, and increasing funding to \$30,000,000 annually. It also amends the Healthy Forests Restoration Act to ensure forest management activities do not harm watershed health and allocates \$30,000,000 annually for implementation. This act supports watershed protection and restoration while respecting existing state and federal water laws and private property rights.

The Birthright Citizenship Act of 2025 amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, clarifying that individuals born in the U.S. are citizens if at least one parent is a U.S. citizen, legal permanent resident, or an alien with lawful status serving in the armed forces. This clarification applies to those born after the Act's enactment, ensuring that citizenship is tied to a parent's connection to the U.S. The bill specifies the criteria for being "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States for citizenship at birth.

The Housing Temperature Safety Act of 2025 establishes a pilot program where the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will provide grants to install and test temperature sensors in federally assisted rental properties. The goal is to ensure these properties meet temperature requirements, with resident consent and data protection measures in place. HUD will conduct interim and final evaluations, reporting to Congress on the program's impact, sensor technology comparisons, and any barriers encountered. The act aims to improve living conditions and address temperature-related issues in housing.

The "Caring for Survivors Act of 2025" increases dependency and indemnity compensation for surviving spouses of veterans. Additionally, it modifies the requirements for survivor benefits for veterans who were totally disabled at the time of death, reducing the required period of disability from 10 to 5 years, and introduces proportional compensation for disability periods less than 10 years.

The "Free Speech Protection Act" aims to protect free speech by preventing government employees from censoring speech on social media platforms and from colluding with platforms to suppress or label content. It establishes reporting requirements for communications between government employees and social media platforms, terminates the Disinformation Governance Board, and prohibits grants for programs focused on misinformation. The Act also amends the Communications Act of 1934 and ensures transparency through the Freedom of Information Act regarding government communications with social media platforms.

The "Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2025" aims to combat transnational criminal organizations' use of social media and online platforms for illicit activities, including recruitment. It mandates a joint assessment by the Department of Homeland Security, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State on how these organizations use online services for recruitment and illegal operations. The Act further requires a joint strategy to counter these recruitment efforts, enhance cooperation between law enforcement, and increase outreach to at-risk communities, while ensuring the protection of civil rights and liberties. This act does not authorize additional funding for implementation and clarifies that it does not expand the existing powers of the involved departments.

The "Health Care Providers Safety Act of 2025" authorizes the Secretary to award grants to health care providers. These grants will enhance the physical and cyber security of healthcare facilities, personnel, and patients. Funds can be used for security services, upgrades to physical access, cyber security, video surveillance, data privacy, and structural improvements.

The "Protecting Higher Education from Foreign Threats Act" prohibits colleges and universities from receiving federal funding if they employ instructors funded by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). A CCP-funded instructor is defined as someone who directly instructs students and receives funds from the CCP while employed by the institution. Institutions can regain eligibility for federal funding if they no longer employ CCP-funded instructors. This change will take effect 180 days after the Act is enacted.

The "Justice for Victims of Sanctuary Cities Act of 2025" allows victims of specific violent crimes committed by aliens to sue sanctuary jurisdictions if sanctuary policies prevented the alien's detention or deportation. It mandates that sanctuary jurisdictions that accept certain federal grants waive immunity from these lawsuits and protects state and local entities from liability when complying with Department of Homeland Security detainers. This act aims to ensure cooperation between federal and local law enforcement and provide legal recourse for victims harmed by sanctuary policies.

The "Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act" authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to carry out specific major medical facility projects in fiscal year 2025. These projects include constructing a new critical care center and expanding clinical space for mental health in West Los Angeles, California, and Dallas, Texas, respectively. The Act also authorizes appropriations of $1,567,000,000 for these projects.

The "Filing Relief for Natural Disasters Act" allows the Secretary to postpone federal tax deadlines, similar to federal disaster declarations, upon a written request from a state governor for a qualified state-declared disaster. It defines a "qualified state-declared disaster" as a natural catastrophe, fire, flood, or explosion, as determined by the Governor, that causes significant damage. This act also extends mandatory tax deadline extensions from 60 days to 120 days.