Legislation

The Consent is Key Act increases federal grant funding for states that enact laws allowing civil lawsuits against individuals who remove sexual protection barriers without consent. To receive this increased funding, states must apply to the Attorney General, detailing their compliance with the new law. This funding boost, capped at 20% of recent averages, is available for a four-year period.

The Evidence-Based Drug Policy Act of 2025 aims to modernize federal drug policy by repealing a specific, outdated provision within the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998. This action removes an existing statutory requirement to streamline current drug control strategies. The bill focuses on updating the legal framework guiding national drug policy.

The Health Care Fairness for All Act significantly overhauls federal health law by eliminating ACA mandates and penalties while introducing new fixed tax credits for individual coverage. It restructures medical savings by phasing out traditional HSAs in favor of Roth HSAs and removes the general deduction for medical expenses. Furthermore, the bill grants states greater flexibility in regulating insurance markets and fundamentally reforms Medicaid payments through a new beneficiary-based federal funding formula. Finally, it codifies existing rules requiring hospitals to publicly disclose their standard service charges.

The Stealthing Act of 2025 establishes a federal civil right of action against individuals who remove a sexual protection barrier, such as a condom, during sexual contact without the partner's consent. This law recognizes the non-consensual removal of protection as a serious violation exposing victims to risks like STIs and pregnancy. Victims can sue for damages if the act involved interstate travel, commerce, or communication.

The PFAS–Free Procurement Act of 2025 prohibits the federal government from purchasing certain items containing harmful PFAS chemicals, specifically PFOS or PFOA. This ban applies to new or renewed contracts for covered items like stain-resistant furniture, cookware, and utensils. Agencies must prioritize procuring safer, PFAS-free alternatives when available.

The Uniform School Mapping Act prohibits the use of federal funds to purchase emergency response maps after fiscal year 2026 unless those maps meet strict digital, storage, and content requirements. These mandated maps must detail critical building features and be easily shareable with public safety agencies at no cost. Furthermore, the Secretary of Homeland Security must develop a strategy to ensure the federal government acquires and distributes these standardized maps for critical properties.

The Reduction in Force Review Act subjects federal agency decisions regarding workforce reductions (RIFs) to formal Congressional review, treating them as legislative "rules." Agencies must now submit detailed justification packages explaining the reasons for the cuts, the operational impact, and alternatives considered. This ensures greater transparency and scrutiny over significant staff reductions affecting federal employees.

This bill, the Nulhegan River and Paul Stream Wild and Scenic River Study Act of 2025, directs the Secretary of the Interior to study approximately 22 miles of the Nulhegan River and 18 miles of Paul Stream in Vermont. The study will determine their suitability for inclusion in the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. This assessment must be completed and reported to Congress within three years of receiving necessary funding.

The App Store Freedom Act aims to foster a more competitive app market by establishing clear rules for large technology companies that own operating systems and app stores. This legislation mandates that these "covered companies" must allow users to easily choose third-party default apps and grants developers fair access to necessary operating system features. Furthermore, the Act prohibits unfair practices such as payment system lock-in and penalizing developers for offering sales outside the official store. Enforcement will be handled by the FTC and state attorneys general, with significant civil penalties for violations.

The AFTER SCHOOL Act establishes a grant program, managed by the Attorney General, to fund after-school programs in high-need areas. These grants are available to local school districts and non-profits located in counties with a juvenile offense rate of 10% or higher. Funds must be used to provide educational and skill-building activities for students in grades 6 through 12 when school is not in session. Grantees must report annually on program participation and outcomes to Congress.

The Fairness in Higher Education Accreditation Act revises the criteria for recognizing accrediting agencies, prohibiting them from basing standards or investigations on the racial, gender, or national origin makeup of a college's community. It also defines "free inquiry" requirements for institutions while providing significant exemptions for religious schools. Furthermore, the bill grants colleges the right to file a civil lawsuit if they face loss of accreditation due to an agency violating these new demographic-based restrictions.

This bill mandates that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) use appropriately licensed professionals for crucial disaster recovery activities under the Stafford Act. Specifically, licensed professionals must conduct cost estimates and oversee the acquisition of necessary materials for projects receiving assistance under sections 406 or 428. The legislation limits FEMA's ability to reject plans or purchases made by these licensed professionals unless fraud is evident. Furthermore, it requires state and local entities to hire these licensed professionals for developing the scope of work.

The Federal Carjacking Enforcement Act amends federal law regarding the use of motor vehicles in certain crimes. This bill lowers the required mental state for conviction from proving "intent to cause death or serious bodily harm" to simply proving the act was done "knowingly." It also clarifies that enhanced penalties for death apply when the vehicle was taken with the intent to cause serious harm, and death subsequently occurs.

The Rural Broadband Assistance Act establishes a new program to provide technical assistance and training for rural broadband projects. This initiative allows the Secretary to award grants to qualified organizations that will help eligible rural entities prepare applications, secure funding, and manage broadband facilities. The goal is to streamline the process of bringing high-speed internet access to underserved rural communities.

This bill amends federal law to prohibit Members of Congress and their spouses from trading or owning certain individual stocks and financial instruments while serving in office. It creates exceptions for existing holdings placed in blind trusts, diversified mutual funds, and U.S. Treasury securities. Violations of this trading ban could result in civil penalties.

The No Tax on Overtime Act creates a new federal income tax deduction for qualified overtime pay earned by workers. This exclusion is capped at 300 hours of overtime service per year, with the benefit phasing out for higher earners. Employers will be required to report this tax-free compensation on W-2 forms, and the changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The All-Americans Tax Relief Act of 2025 introduces sweeping changes to the federal tax code, primarily focused on providing financial relief to families and individuals. Key provisions include expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and making the Child Tax Credit fully refundable. The Act also creates several new above-the-line deductions for expenses like daycare, tutoring, and credit card interest, while expanding the medical expense deduction to non-itemizers. These significant tax adjustments are generally scheduled to take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2026.

The Public Service Worker Protection Act expands the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) to explicitly cover all public employees, including those working for federal, state, and local governments. This change brings public sector workers under the general protections afforded by OSHA. While the expansion takes effect generally within 90 days, states without an existing OSHA plan are given a three-year transition period before federal oversight applies to their employees.

The Emergency Care Improvement Act officially brings qualifying Freestanding Emergency Centers (FECs) into the standard Medicare and Medicaid coverage systems. This legislation ensures that these state-licensed facilities, which operate as full emergency departments, are reimbursed for providing specified emergency services. Furthermore, the Act explicitly includes FECs under the requirements of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

The Improving SCRA Benefit Utilization Act aims to strengthen consumer protections for service members under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). This bill mandates improved financial literacy training focusing on SCRA interest rate caps and requires specific notifications of these benefits upon entry or mobilization to active duty. Additionally, it ensures financial institutions must retroactively apply maximum interest rates to pre-service debts from the start of active duty and expand those protections to all debts held by the creditor.