Legislation

The "No More D.C. Waste Act" ensures that federal funds allocated to the District of Columbia for resident tuition support are used within the fiscal year they are appropriated. It mandates that unspent funds do not remain available indefinitely. Additionally, it requires the District of Columbia's Chief Financial Officer to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the use of these federal payments, including the number of students assisted, the average aid amount, and any unspent funds.

The "Ensuring Access to Essential Drugs Act" exempts certain oral drugs from the Medicare Part D manufacturer discount program under specific conditions. This exemption applies to drugs approved under section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. It also applies to drugs granted a narrow exception, permitting reclassification as a noninnovator multiple source drug under the Medicaid drug rebate program by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The "Affordable PLUS Repayment Options for Parents Act of 2025" expands income-contingent and income-based repayment options to parents who have taken out PLUS loans for their children's education. It removes restrictions that previously made PLUS loan borrowers ineligible for income-based repayment plans. The bill defines "partial financial hardship" based on a borrower's income and family size, ensuring more families can qualify for reduced payments. These changes apply to borrowers with outstanding PLUS loans or consolidation loans used to pay off PLUS loans, who are repaying their loans through income-driven repayment plans on or after the enactment date.

The "Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act" enables state Medicaid programs to provide comprehensive care through health homes for individuals with sickle cell disease starting January 1, 2026. It requires states with sickle cell disease-focused plans to provide dental and vision services and to report on healthcare quality, access, and expenditures. The Act also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to publish best practices for these state plans.

The FEMA for America First Act of 2025 amends the Stafford Act to restrict FEMA individual assistance to only qualified aliens, excluding asylees, refugees, and certain parolees who have not pursued permanent residency. This bill narrows the eligibility criteria for disaster relief, focusing aid on a specific subset of legal immigrants as defined by existing federal laws.

The "Invest to Protect Act of 2025" establishes a grant program to support local law enforcement by providing resources for training, mental health services, recruitment, and retention. These grants prioritize de-escalation training, victim-centered approaches, and officer well-being. The program emphasizes accountability through audits, reporting requirements, and transparency in officer recruitment and retention incentives. It allocates \$50 million annually from 2026 to 2030 to facilitate these improvements in law enforcement practices and community safety.

This bill amends the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to establish maximum monthly allowances for milk provided under the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). It sets specific limits on the amount of milk that can be included in food packages IV, V, VI, and VII.

The "Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2025" changes the appointment process for the Director of the Bureau of Prisons. Going forward, the President will appoint the Director with Senate approval, similar to other high-ranking officials in the Department of Justice, for a single 10-year term. The Director will report directly to the Attorney General.

The Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act of 2025 expands Medicare coverage to include certain telehealth services delivered via audio-only communication, ensuring access to healthcare for individuals who may not have access to video technology. This applies to services already approved for telehealth coverage under Section 1834(m)(4)(F)(i) of the Social Security Act. The changes would go into effect on the first day of a declared emergency period.

The "Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act of 2025" excludes federally subsidized loan repayments for dental school faculty from taxable income, specifically those from programs under section 748(a)(2) of the Public Health Service Act. This exclusion aims to encourage dentists to serve as faculty. The Comptroller General will also report to Congress on the participation and retention of dental providers and faculty in the Dental Faculty Development and Loan Repayment Program.

The "Keep America's Waterfronts Working Act of 2025" establishes a task force and grant program to support the preservation and improvement of working waterfronts. It enables covered entities to submit working waterfront plans for approval and receive financial assistance for implementation. The act also authorizes capitalization grants to coastal states for establishing working waterfront preservation loan funds. It allocates $50 million annually from 2025-2029 for both the grant and loan programs.

Ethan's Law aims to reduce gun violence by promoting responsible firearm storage. It establishes a federal requirement for gun owners to securely store firearms, especially in homes with minors or individuals prohibited from owning firearms, with penalties for improper storage. The law also creates a grant program to assist states and Indian Tribes in implementing similar safe storage laws. Additionally, it expresses the sense of Congress that failing to securely store a firearm constitutes negligence and can establish legal causation for harm resulting from its discharge.

The Wildfire Communications Resiliency Act expedites the deployment of communications infrastructure in areas affected by wildfires by exempting certain projects from environmental and historical preservation reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the National Historic Preservation Act. This exemption applies to projects within declared disaster areas that replace or improve communications facilities within five years of a wildfire disaster declaration. The goal is to rapidly restore and enhance communication capabilities to aid recovery and prevent future emergencies in wildfire-affected regions.

The Humane Cosmetics Act of 2025 bans cosmetic animal testing in the U.S. and restricts the use of animal testing data for cosmetic safety, with certain exceptions. It authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to impose civil penalties for non-compliance and preempts states from enacting conflicting regulations. The Act defines key terms related to cosmetic animal testing and cosmetics.

This bill repeals four executive orders related to energy and environmental policies issued on January 20, 2025. It stops the use of federal funds to implement these orders, but does not reduce any existing presidential powers.

The "Increasing Credit Union Lending for Business Growth Act" amends the Federal Credit Union Act, increasing the loan amount credit unions can offer to small businesses. The bill raises the limit from $50,000 to $100,000, with the goal of expanding credit access for small businesses.

The Local Zoning Decisions Protection Act of 2025 nullifies specific Department of Housing and Urban Development rules and notices related to fair housing and prohibits the use of federal funds for databases tracking racial disparities in communities. It also requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to consult with state, local, and public housing officials to develop recommendations supporting the Fair Housing Act, emphasizing collaboration and transparency. The Act mandates a public review process and the publication of a final report detailing these recommendations.

The Small Business Investment Act of 2025 incentivizes investment in small businesses by increasing the exclusion for gains from qualified small business stock and reducing the holding period requirement to three years. It also allows the holding period of convertible debt instruments to be included when calculating the holding period of acquired stock. Additionally, the Act broadens the types of corporations that can qualify for certain tax benefits related to small business stock, including S corporations.

The "Taiwan Travel and Tourism Coordination Act" aims to boost tourism and travel cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan. It directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism to collaborate with Taiwanese authorities to strengthen both tourism industries, improve travel, and coordinate visitor safety. Additionally, it requires a report from the Secretary of Homeland Security on the feasibility of establishing a preclearance facility in Taiwan to enhance trade, tourism, and security. The Act also mandates regular reports to Congress on these cooperation efforts and the preclearance facility analysis.

The RAISE Act of 2025 introduces a refundable tax credit for eligible teachers, offering $1,000 plus additional amounts for teachers in qualifying schools with high student poverty levels. It also increases the tax deduction for educators' expenses to $500 and expands eligibility to include early childhood educators. Additionally, the Act amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to provide mandatory funding to support local educational agencies that maintain or increase teacher salaries, with a portion reserved for teacher salary incentive grants. These grants can be used for various programs aimed at strengthening the teaching profession and improving educator skills.