Legislation

The Births in Custody Reporting Act of 2025 mandates that states receiving federal funding must quarterly report detailed, anonymized data to the Attorney General regarding pregnant individuals and those who have given birth in state or local custody. This data includes pregnancy testing, prenatal care, birth outcomes, and the use of restraints during these periods. States failing to comply face potential reductions in federal funding, and the Attorney General must make all reports public and conduct a study on improving inmate care.

This bill amends the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to create an exception to the standard parole fee for aliens seeking entry to participate in sacred Tribal or religious ceremonies, cultural exchanges, or celebrations. Under specific conditions, the Secretary of Homeland Security may grant parole if a significant public benefit is determined, provided the alien meets enrollment and background check requirements. This provision allows for a reduced $200 fee for these specific cultural and religious purposes.

The Defending Against Foreign Propaganda Act mandates that any advertisement paid for by a foreign government or foreign person must clearly disclose this funding to the consumer. This disclosure must be integrated into the advertisement using the same format as the main content (sound, print, or both). The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with enforcing these disclosure requirements.

The Stop Excessive Force in Immigration Act of 2025 establishes strict new standards for the use of non-deadly force by federal immigration personnel, requiring proportionality and de-escalation efforts. The bill mandates identification requirements, restricts the use of certain crowd-control equipment, and imposes new body camera and detailed reporting mandates. Furthermore, it creates affirmative duties for officers to intervene against excessive force and requires annual training on these new policies.

The Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2025 aims to expand successful manure management programs by formally defining and incentivizing "alternative manure management practices" and "composting practices" within the Food Security Act. This bill directs the USDA Secretary to establish new payment structures, prioritize applications that maximize carbon sequestration and emissions reductions, and provide technical assistance for these sustainable farming methods. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to improve environmental health, soil quality, and air quality across the nation's livestock industry.

The Saving for the Future Act addresses widespread retirement savings deficiencies by establishing a new Universal Personal Savings program requiring applicable employers to make minimum hourly contributions for employees. This legislation also creates new tax credits for employers making these contributions and for individuals who save outside of an employer plan. Finally, the Act increases both the highest individual income tax rate and the corporate income tax rate.

The RESTRAIN Act prohibits the United States from conducting any explosive testing of nuclear weapons or any other nuclear explosion, effective in fiscal year 2026 and beyond. This legislation specifically bans the use of authorized funds for such testing. However, the Act explicitly allows for the continuation of subcritical nuclear tests.

The Connecting Veterans to Care Act of 2025 aims to improve veteran access to healthcare by providing federal operating assistance for public transportation that services Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facilities. This assistance is available to public transit systems meeting specific population or service criteria. Recipients must certify that funds are used for VA facility service, with penalties for non-compliance.

The Foreign Remittance Accountability and Transparency Act mandates a study by the Comptroller General and the Treasury Department to investigate foreign government programs that may facilitate U.S. tax evasion through remittances. This study will identify such programs, assess their impact on U.S. tax and reporting laws, and determine the scale of the activity. The resulting report must include policy recommendations for Congress within 180 days of the Act's enactment.

This bill addresses the status of individuals born and residing in American Samoa, who are currently United States nationals but not citizens. It amends passport procedures to allow these nationals to receive a U.S. passport identifying them as either a non-citizen national or, upon request while residing in a U.S. state or covered territory, as both a national and a citizen of the United States. The legislation aims to protect collective self-determination while enabling elective U.S. citizenship for certain residents.

The Integrated Resource Planning Modernization Act directs the Secretary of Energy to develop updated guidelines and best practices for electric utility planning, focusing on modern resource adequacy analysis and diverse energy solutions. The bill also establishes a grant program to help states align their planning requirements with these new federal standards. This effort aims to ensure the reliability and cost-effectiveness of the future electricity system through comprehensive, forward-looking planning.

This resolution recognizes community care as an essential component of the VA health care system, providing veterans with vital access to necessary services. Congress affirms that community care enhances convenience, accessibility, and choice, especially for those in rural areas or needing specialized treatment. The resolution urges the full implementation of the VA MISSION Act to ensure veterans receive timely, high-quality care through community providers when needed.

The Immigration Document Delivery Accountability Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of Homeland Security establish regulations requiring trackable accountability measures for all immigration status documents sent via the U.S. Postal Service. These measures must include a Postal Service barcode for tracking, such as a tracking number or a signature requirement upon delivery. This ensures greater accountability for the delivery of critical immigration documents, excluding those handed directly to the recipient.

This Act requires the Secretary of State to develop and submit a comprehensive strategy detailing how U.S. security assistance to Mexico will be used to combat transnational criminal networks. The strategy must focus on dismantling drug and human trafficking operations, building institutional capacity, and strengthening the rule of law in Mexico. The report must also include performance metrics and an assessment of past aid effectiveness.

The Common Repository for Small Businesses Act mandates the Department of Defense (DoD) to establish a central repository for essential supplier information needed for vetting contractors. This repository aims to streamline the process for small businesses seeking to supply the DoD by reducing redundant information requests. The development will coordinate with existing small business support efforts and may involve public-private partnerships to increase efficiency.

This bill ensures that all Bureau of Prisons personnel continue to receive their salaries even during periods when discretionary appropriations have lapsed. It mandates that the Treasury provide the necessary funds to cover these payments for both correctional and non-correctional staff at BOP facilities.

This resolution officially designates October 2025 as School Bus Safety Month. The designation aims to utilize media platforms to share public service announcements promoting child safety around buses, recognizing the efforts of school bus operators, and encouraging safe driving practices near school buses.

The National Cemetery Access Act mandates that all national cemeteries managed by the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, or the National Park Service must remain open to the public on all federal legal public holidays. This ensures continuous access for visitors to honor veterans and their families throughout the year.

The Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 ensures that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) continue to operate without interruption in fiscal year 2026 if standard appropriations are delayed. If funding lapses, the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to use funds from the Treasury to provide benefits and reimburse state agencies. This special funding remains in effect until full appropriations are enacted or until September 30, 2026.

The Protect Patients from Healthcare Abuse Act establishes new Medicare conditions of participation for healthcare providers regarding informed consent and the use of chaperones. This bill mandates that providers must have written policies informing patients of their rights, including the right to request a chaperone during sensitive procedures. Furthermore, it requires staff training on chaperone duties, defining sensitive procedures, and ensuring patients provide informed consent.