Legislation

The Fair Access to Co-ops for Veterans Act of 2025 permanently extends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan guarantee program for residential cooperative housing units. It directs the VA Secretary to establish regulations that align with industry standards and promote the program to veterans, lenders, and realtors. Additionally, it sets loan fee rates and clarifies that cooperative housing shares are considered residential property for loan guarantee purposes.

The "Standard FEES Act" aims to create a uniform fee schedule for processing applications to place communications facilities on federal properties. Fees will be based on direct processing costs and must be competitively neutral, with exceptions considered for public benefit and broadband expansion. The General Services Administration will establish the fee schedule, and executive agencies will adopt aligned regulations. Fees collected can only be used for processing these applications.

The "Tribal Labor Sovereignty Act of 2025" amends the National Labor Relations Act by clarifying that Indian tribes and their tribally owned businesses on Indian lands are considered employers. This act defines key terms such as "Indian tribe," "Indian," and "Indian lands" to ensure clarity in its application. The change aims to affirm tribal sovereignty over labor relations within their lands.

The MERIT Act requires federal agencies to reinstate probationary employees who were terminated as part of a mass termination event between January 20, 2025, and the Act's enactment date, providing them with back pay and benefits. The Act also mandates reports on government employee terminations and the reinstatement process. It defines key terms such as "affected probationary employee" and "mass termination" to clarify the scope and applicability of the Act. This act ensures that affected employees are treated as involuntarily separated without cause and outlines the process for determining back pay and providing notice to eligible employees.

This resolution expresses support for designating March 18, 2025, as "National Agriculture Day." It recognizes and celebrates the significant impact of agriculture as a leading industry in the United States.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 1200 William Street, Room 200, in Buffalo, New York, as the "William J. Donovan Post Office Building." It also mandates that any reference to this facility in U.S. records shall reflect this new designation.

The "Arturo Alfonso Schomburg Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes a Congressional Gold Medal for Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance, to honor his work in collecting and preserving the history and culture of the African diaspora. Following the award ceremony, the medal will be given to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of African American History and Culture for display and research. The Act also permits the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the gold medal to cover production costs.

The Overdose Response Action Data for Actionable Reforms (RADAR) Act aims to improve data collection and surveillance of opioid-related overdoses through grants and collaboration among federal agencies. It reforms the Office of National Drug Control Policy, enhances state opioid response grants, and establishes a wastewater pilot program to detect illicit substances in communities. The act also expands access to opioid overdose reversal medication and provides grants for schools to administer emergency overdose treatment, while also including fentanyl test strips as drug paraphernalia to avoid prosecution.

The Sgt. Isaac Woodard, Jr. and Sgt. Joseph H. Maddox GI Bill Restoration Act of 2025 aims to address historical inequities by extending housing and educational benefits to Black World War II veterans and their direct descendants who were previously denied these benefits due to racial discrimination. The bill amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code to include these veterans and their families in housing loan and educational assistance programs. It also establishes a panel to identify and recommend additional support for female and minority veterans.

The Financial Reporting Threshold Modernization Act updates the thresholds for currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports to reflect inflation. It raises the threshold for currency transaction reports from $10,000 to $30,000 and mandates updates every 5 years based on the Consumer Price Index. Additionally, it increases the reporting threshold for coins and currency received in nonfinancial trades or businesses from $10,000 to $30,000, also with CPI-based updates every 5 years. The Act requires federal agencies and the Secretary of the Treasury to revise regulations to reflect these changes, which must be implemented within 180 days of enactment.

The "Sickle Cell Disease and Other Heritable Blood Disorders Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2025" aims to improve the treatment and prevention of sickle cell disease and its complications. It amends the Public Health Service Act to broaden the scope of activities and increase funding for these efforts through grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements. The Act authorizes $8,205,000 annually from 2025 to 2029 and emphasizes the need for further research into heritable blood disorders.

The Puerto Rico Low-Income Housing Support Act seeks to improve housing access for low-income families in Puerto Rico. It amends the definition of "extremely low-income families" to align Puerto Rico with the poverty guidelines of the contiguous U.S. and requires a report on efforts to connect low-income families in Puerto Rico with housing assistance and affordable housing. The report will also assess disaster recovery efforts related to low-income housing and provide recommendations for program improvements.

The "Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act" extends Medicare telehealth flexibilities for hospice care through December 31, 2027, with certain limitations after January 1, 2026, based on location, provider oversight, and proper enrollment. It also mandates the use of specific modifiers or codes on hospice claims to identify when recertifications of hospice care eligibility are conducted via telehealth starting January 1, 2026.

The Social Security Expansion Act aims to increase Social Security benefits, change cost-of-living adjustments to better reflect elderly consumers, and extend eligibility to student children. It also adjusts payroll and self-employment taxes for earnings above $250,000, increases taxes on investment gains, and establishes a new Social Security Trust Fund. These changes are intended to provide greater financial security for beneficiaries and ensure the long-term solvency of the Social Security system.

The "Second Chances for Rural Hospitals Act" broadens the definition of "rural emergency hospital" under Medicare, enabling certain previously closed rural hospitals to re-qualify. Effective January 1, 2027, it allows facilities that ceased operations between 2014 and 2020 to become rural emergency hospitals. It also modifies payment rules, specifying that increased payments will not apply to facilities located less than 35 miles from the nearest hospital.

The "Increasing Access to Dental Insurance Act" aims to broaden access to dental coverage by enabling individuals to enroll in standalone dental plans via the Health Insurance Exchange, irrespective of their enrollment status in a qualified health plan. This expands options for individuals seeking dental insurance.

The American Innovation Act of 2025 modifies the tax code to simplify and expand deductions for start-up and organizational expenditures for new businesses, allowing businesses to deduct up to $20,000 in start-up costs in the first year. The Act also preserves start-up net operating losses and tax credits after an ownership change, with specific conditions to ensure the continuation of the business. These changes aim to support new businesses by providing more immediate tax relief and ensuring that their losses and credits are not entirely forfeited after an ownership change. The provisions of this act generally apply to businesses starting after December 31, 2025.

The "Medicaid Provider Screening Accountability Act" mandates states to cross-check Medicaid providers against a federal database monthly, starting in 2028. This ensures providers terminated from Medicare or Medicaid/CHIP in other states are identified. The goal is to enhance provider screening processes within the Medicaid program.

The "Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act" defines "natural cheese" to differentiate it from processed cheese products, setting standards for its composition, ingredients, and labeling. It ensures that only products meeting the defined criteria can be labeled as "natural cheese," while allowing "natural" or "all-natural" claims consistent with existing regulations. This act aims to provide clarity for consumers and consistency in labeling requirements across the country.

The "Securing Strictly Needy Americans’ Pivotal (SNAP) Benefits Act of 2025" aims to prevent SNAP benefit misuse by suspending accounts used exclusively out-of-state for over 60 days until residency is proven. It also restricts SNAP recipients who own retail food stores or wholesale food concerns from redeeming benefits at their own establishments, excluding publicly held corporations and government-owned entities. This act is set to take effect one year after enactment.