Legislation

The Higher Education Reform and Opportunity Act overhauls federal student loan programs by introducing Federal Direct simplification loans with capped interest rates and loan limits, while phasing out existing loan forgiveness programs. It empowers states to create alternative accreditation systems for postsecondary institutions and programs to qualify for federal funding. The act also mandates increased transparency from colleges and universities regarding student outcomes, employment rates, and loan debt. Finally, the act introduces a school accountability measure, requiring institutions to pay a fine based on student loan default rates, while providing flexibility in financial aid counseling.

The SCREEN Act requires online platforms that host or provide pornographic content to use technology to verify users' ages, preventing minors from accessing harmful material. Platforms must implement age verification measures within one year of the Act's enactment, prioritizing data security and user privacy. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will oversee compliance, conduct regular audits, and provide guidance to platforms, while the Comptroller General will report to Congress on the Act's effectiveness and impact. This act aims to protect children from the harmful effects of online pornography by ensuring only adults can access such content.

The "UPLIFT Act" aims to enhance cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities to combat transnational crime and drug trafficking. It amends existing laws to prevent sanctuary policies that hinder immigration enforcement, clarifies the authority of ICE detainers, and protects jurisdictions that comply with detainers from liability. The act also allows victims of crimes committed by released aliens to sue non-complying jurisdictions.

The NETWORKS Act aims to safeguard U.S. national security by imposing sanctions on foreign entities involved in economic or industrial espionage through 5G and future telecommunications technologies. It mandates the President to block transactions of foreign individuals or companies producing 5G technology that threatens U.S. security, with exceptions for intelligence activities, humanitarian aid, and certain essential goods. The President can waive sanctions for national security reasons, subject to Congressional notification, and violators will face penalties under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. This act defines key terms and specifies that sanctions do not apply to participation in international standards-setting bodies or transactions involving existing 3G or 4G networks.

The Protect Veteran Jobs Act allows wrongly fired or dismissed veterans in civil service jobs between January 20, 2025, and the Act's enactment date to be reinstated to their previous position or a similar one. It mandates executive branch agencies to report to Congress every three months on all veteran employees who were fired or dismissed and the reasons for their termination, effective until January 20, 2029. The Act relies on existing U.S. Code definitions for key terms like "veteran" and "civil service."

The SWAMP Act mandates the disposal of the Speaker Nancy Pelosi Federal Building in San Francisco by May 31, 2025. The General Services Administrator must sell the property through standard procedures or at fair market value.

This resolution designates the third week of March 2025 as "National CACFP Week" to recognize the Child and Adult Care Food Program's (CACFP) impact. The CACFP provides millions of children and adults in care settings with nutritious meals and snacks. The program improves child care quality, supports working families, and enhances the health and well-being of participants.

The "Peace on the Korean Peninsula Act" seeks to promote diplomatic engagement to formally end the Korean War by replacing the Armistice Agreement with a peace agreement. It requires the Secretary of State to review travel restrictions to North Korea for humanitarian reasons and to develop a plan for achieving a permanent peace agreement, including the potential establishment of liaison offices between the U.S. and North Korea. The act emphasizes that it does not affect the status of U.S. troops stationed in South Korea or elsewhere.

The "Protecting American Students Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to change how certain students are counted when determining if private colleges and universities are subject to an excise tax on net investment income. It stipulates that only students meeting specific eligibility requirements under the Higher Education Act of 1965 are to be included in this calculation. The Act also mandates that these institutions report the number of students used before and after adjustments when calculating the tax. These provisions are set to take effect for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Disaster Displacement Assistance Improvement Act of 2025 ensures disaster survivors are not denied displacement assistance, such as temporary housing, due to insurance coverage. This bill clarifies that insurance benefits should not be considered a duplication of benefits when determining eligibility for displacement assistance. This change aims to provide more immediate and accessible housing aid to those displaced by disasters.

The Public Safety Communications Act establishes the Office of Public Safety Communications within the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). This office will be headed by the Associate Administrator for Public Safety Communications, who will oversee Next Generation 911 grant programs, analyze public safety communications policy, advise the Assistant Secretary, manage the First Responder Network Authority, and conduct annual audits of the Authority's activities. The goal of the office is to enhance public safety communication policies and the deployment of advanced communication technologies for public safety.

The "New Era of Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease Act" aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of rare kidney diseases through research, education, and increased public awareness. It establishes Centers of Excellence for Rare Kidney Disease Research, directs studies on testing and treatment approaches, and promotes provider education in nephrology. The Act prioritizes addressing disparities in affected populations and seeks to delay or eliminate the need for dialysis and transplant. It authorizes appropriations for these activities from 2026 through 2030.

This bill nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The rule targeted new, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuel-fired electric generating units. It also set emission guidelines and repealed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule.

The Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act expands the Department of Veterans Affairs' transportation grant program to include rural areas, not just highly rural ones. It broadens the range of eligible grant recipients to include county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations. The bill also increases the maximum grant amount to $60,000, with a possible increase to $80,000 for vehicle purchases needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and authorizes necessary funding by removing the previous funding limit.

The ARCH Act extends Medicare-dependent hospital (MDH) and Medicare low-volume hospital (LVH) payments through fiscal year 2031, ensuring continued financial support for rural hospitals. It also mandates a GAO report to Congress analyzing rural hospital classifications and recommending improvements for financial sustainability and healthcare access in rural areas.

The Innovation in Pediatric Drugs Act of 2025 aims to improve pediatric drug development and research. It refines the enforcement of pediatric study requirements, especially for orphan drugs, by requiring the FDA to provide opportunities for companies to respond to noncompliance allegations and limiting required pediatric assessments for certain drugs. The Act also directs the FDA to enhance reporting on PREA enforcement and authorizes funding for pediatric research at the NIH. Finally, it requires the Comptroller General to report on the impact of these changes on rare disease drug development.

The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act enhances U.S. trade laws to counteract unfair trade practices by foreign countries. It strengthens the ability of the International Trade Commission to address successive instances of unfair trade, expands countervailing duty authority, and prevents duty evasion. The Act also counters currency undervaluation and sets clear guidelines for implementation and applicability.

The Human Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Training Act aims to combat human trafficking by establishing a demonstration project that trains students, teachers, and school personnel to understand, recognize, prevent, and respond to signs of human trafficking and child exploitation. The Act authorizes grants to eligible entities for implementing training programs and requires data collection and reporting to Congress on the project's outcomes, including the number of survivors identified and served. This act allocates $15 million annually from 2026 to 2029 to support these initiatives.

The "Protecting Mushroom Farmers Act" aims to support the mushroom industry by directing the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation to research and develop insurance policies for mushroom growing media and mushroom production, addressing risks like pests, pathogens, and weather-related events. This includes evaluating best practices, coverage options, and streamlined reporting to protect against revenue losses. A report on the research findings and recommendations must be submitted to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees within two years.

The "Choices for Increased Mobility Act of 2025" amends the Social Security Act to change how Medicare pays for ultralightweight manual wheelchairs. It mandates separate billing codes for these wheelchairs based on their construction material and ensures suppliers of titanium or carbon fiber wheelchairs are paid without payment reductions. This bill also lets suppliers charge beneficiaries the price difference between the Medicare payment and the wheelchair's cost, with potential requirements for suppliers to disclose out-of-pocket expenses to beneficiaries beforehand.