Legislation

Here are the high-level summaries for each bill, designed to be concise and informative for website descriptions: * **Responsible Legislating Act:** This bill extends key agricultural reporting requirements, ensuring continued market transparency for livestock sales and supporting agricultural marketing services. * **[Bill Regarding Veteran Apprenticeship Programs]:** This legislation enhances career opportunities for veterans by improving their access to and awareness of registered apprenticeship programs through better education and online resources. * **[Bill Regarding Federal Employee Protections]:** This bill supports federal employees in high-risk roles who become ill or injured on duty by encouraging agencies to retain them and modifying retirement rules to avoid penalties. * **[Bill Regarding Retirement Savings]:** This legislation aims to improve and expand retirement savings options for Americans by making changes to employer-sponsored retirement plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). * **[Boots to Business Program Act]:** This bill establishes the "Boots to Business Program" to provide entrepreneurship training and resources to veterans, transitioning service members, and their families, helping them start and manage small businesses. * **[Bill Regarding Human Trafficking Penalties]:** This legislation increases penalties for human trafficking, coercion, and enticement offenses, particularly in or near school zones and institutions of higher education, to create safer environments for students. * **[Bill Regarding National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture]:** This legislation establishes a commission to explore the possibility of creating a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture in the Washington, D.C., area. * **[Bill Regarding Semiconductor Supply Chain]:** This legislation strengthens the U.S. semiconductor supply chain by increasing foreign direct investment in domestic manufacturing through the Department of Commerce’s SelectUSA program. * **[Bill Regarding Homeland Security Equipment Purchases]:** This bill revises the approval process for certain equipment purchases made with grants under the Homeland Security Act to ensure a clear and consistent review process. * **[Bill Regarding NASA Leasing Authority]:** This legislation extends NASA's authority to lease underused properties to private entities, state and local governments, academic institutions, and other federal agencies for an additional year. * **[Bill Regarding House Committee Hearings]:** Mandates that each standing committee in the House of Representatives must hold a hearing to review how this Act is being put into action. * **[Bill Regarding Whistleblower Protection]:** Addresses the protection of whistleblowers by setting strict guidelines on the disclosure of their identities, aiming to encourage the reporting of misconduct within the House of Representatives without fear of reprisal. * **[Bill Regarding Foreign Ownership of Marine Terminals]:** Mandates a comprehensive study to evaluate the effects of foreign ownership of marine terminals at major U.S. ports on the nation's economic security. * **[Bill Regarding Budgetary Effects]:** References how the financial impact of the bill will be officially measured and recorded, ensuring it aligns with existing budget rules. * **[Bill Regarding Federal Credit Union Act]:** Amends the Federal Credit Union Act to modify how often the board of directors of Federal credit unions are required to meet, ensuring appropriate oversight based on the credit union's age and financial stability. * **[Bill Regarding Treasury Funds Allocation]:** This legislation allocates specific funds from the Treasury for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, to various government programs and departments.

The Specialist Joey Lenz Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of Defense to include a sports physical, electrocardiogram, and comprehensive blood work as part of the annual health assessment for armed forces members, beginning in 2026. This blood work includes a comprehensive metabolic panel and complete blood count, with additional tests as needed, along with any legally required tests or evaluations. The goal of this act is to ensure comprehensive health monitoring for service members.

This bill expresses support for designating March 6, 2025, as "Great Lakes Day" to recognize the environmental and economic importance of the Great Lakes region. It highlights the Great Lakes' significance as a vital freshwater resource, economic driver, and ancestral home to Native American Tribes. The bill also supports initiatives like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and encourages efforts to protect Lake St. Clair. Ultimately, it aims to raise awareness about the need to preserve and protect the Great Lakes for future generations.

**Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025:** This act authorizes funding for the Coast Guard, updates military strength and training, and enhances operations, acquisitions, and personnel management. It also modernizes maritime regulations, improves vessel safety, and addresses emerging technologies like autonomous systems. Additionally, the act focuses on oil spill response, overhauls the Coast Guard's approach to sexual assault and harassment, and directs studies for improvements.

This bill designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 2600 Wesley Street in Greenville, Texas, as the "Cooper Dawson Post Office Building." It also mandates that all official documents will refer to the facility as the Cooper Dawson Post Office Building from now on.

The "Stop Funding Our Adversaries Act of 2023" prohibits several federal agencies from directly or indirectly funding research conducted by the Chinese government or the Chinese Communist Party, including any entities they own or control. This aims to prevent U.S. taxpayer dollars from supporting research benefiting potential adversaries.

Recognizes the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal, commencing on February 28, 2025. It acknowledges the contributions of Muslims in the United States and worldwide, and expresses support to Muslims globally, recognizing Islam as a major world religion.

The Support Military Families Act allows federal employees who are spouses of military members to continue teleworking or working remotely, provided they were eligible before January 20, 2025. It exempts these employees from returning to full-time in-person work and requires a report on the economic impact of mandating in-person work.

The SAFE HOME Act introduces a tax credit for individuals who invest in wildfire mitigation measures for their primary residence, such as improving roof fire resistance, installing sprinkler systems, and creating defensible space. This credit covers 25% of qualified expenditures, up to a maximum of $25,000, for homeowners in areas at high risk of wildfires. The credit is subject to income limitations and will be available for expenditures made before January 1, 2033.

The "Grazing for Wildfire Risk Reduction Act" aims to reduce wildfire risks by directing the Secretary of Agriculture to expand the use of livestock grazing on Forest Service land. The plan includes strategies such as expediting environmental reviews for grazing permits, employing targeted grazing, and increasing the use of temporary permits for fuels reduction and invasive species control. It also promotes grazing as a post-fire recovery tool and utilizes all available legal authorities to achieve these goals.

The Secret Service Prioritization Act of 2025 shifts the responsibility of investigating financial crimes and fraud from the Secret Service to the FBI, allowing the Secret Service to focus on protection duties. It enables a smooth transition by transferring personnel, assets, and ongoing legal proceedings to the FBI. The Act ensures that completed actions and reporting requirements remain valid and applicable under the new management. This change aims to streamline law enforcement efforts and enhance the focus of each agency.

The INSTRUCT Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency and oversight of foreign funding in higher education by mandating the sharing of disclosure reports between the Department of Education, intelligence agencies, and other federal departments. It requires the Secretary of Education to provide these agencies with both current and historical reports related to Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The Act also tasks the Comptroller General with studying and recommending improvements to interagency coordination in implementing and enforcing Section 117, and to report the findings to Congress. The public will also have access to these disclosure reports.

The "Ending Green Giveaways Act" repeals Section 138 of the Clean Air Act, which authorized environmental and climate justice block grants. It also rescinds any remaining funds that were allocated for these grants but have not yet been spent.

The "Access to Counsel Act of 2025" ensures individuals at ports of entry and during deferred inspection can access legal counsel and assistance. It allows consultations with counsel and interested parties, enabling them to advocate for the individual by providing information to examining officers. The bill also protects lawful permanent residents by ensuring they have the opportunity to seek legal advice before signing Form I-407, unless they knowingly waive that right. This act aims to provide due process and protect the rights of individuals seeking entry into the United States.

The "Muhammad Ali Congressional Gold Medal Act" directs the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Muhammad Ali posthumously, recognizing his athletic achievements, advocacy for civil rights, and humanitarian efforts. The Secretary of the Treasury will design and produce the gold medal, which will then be presented to his wife, Lonnie Ali. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to the public and authorizes the United States Mint to use its funds for medal production.

The "Spent Fuel Prioritization Act of 2025" amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, changing how the Energy Secretary prioritizes accepting high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel. Priority is given to waste from decommissioned reactors, reactors in densely populated areas, areas with high earthquake risk, and areas with national security risks due to continued on-site storage. This aims to address the most urgent risks associated with storing nuclear waste.

The "Promoting Resilient Buildings Act" aims to enhance community resilience to natural disasters through several key initiatives. It refines definitions related to hazard mitigation, establishes a residential resilience pilot program providing grants for home retrofits against disasters, and clarifies the scope of these changes within existing disaster relief programs. This act prioritizes assisting individuals with financial needs and requires a comprehensive report to Congress on the program's effectiveness.

The "COLUMBIA Act of 2025" mandates the Department of Education to establish a program that appoints independent antisemitism monitors to oversee higher education institutions with high rates of antisemitic activity. These monitors will assess and report on the institution's efforts to combat antisemitism, providing recommendations for improvement and submitting public reports. Institutions will be responsible for covering the monitor's expenses, and the monitor will provide quarterly and annual reports to various stakeholders, including Congress and the Department of Education. The goal is to ensure greater accountability and proactive measures against antisemitism in higher education.

This bill aims to include the Czech Republic in the list of countries whose citizens are eligible for E-1 trade visas, provided the Czech government offers reciprocal visa opportunities to U.S. citizens. This would allow Czech nationals to enter the United States for trade purposes under the E-1 nonimmigrant visa program, fostering stronger economic ties between the two nations.

The "Investing in Community Resilience Act of 2025" amends the Stafford Act to prioritize disaster preparedness and community resilience. It broadens FEMA's support to include programs that enhance resilience through improved building standards and land use practices. The Act also supports community emergency response teams by providing resources for training and outreach. These changes will be funded through existing FEMA appropriations, taking effect one year after enactment.