Legislation

The Empowering App-Based Workers Act aims to increase transparency and accountability for digital labor platforms by requiring detailed disclosures about electronic monitoring, automated decision-making, and pay calculations. The bill establishes strict limits on platform "take rates" for ride-hailing services and prohibits the use of personal data to unfairly set compensation. Furthermore, it grants app-based workers new enforcement rights, including the ability to sue for violations and invalidates pre-dispute arbitration clauses.

The Strengthening Advocacy for Long-Term Care Residents Act aims to improve support for residents in long-term care facilities. This bill updates volunteer training standards for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to ensure relevance and efficiency. It also mandates that the Director of the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs serve in a full-time capacity. Finally, the Act calls for a comprehensive study on the effectiveness and staffing ratios of state Ombudsman programs.

The Working Waterfront Disaster Mitigation Tax Credit Act establishes a new federal tax credit for investments made to protect waterfront businesses from natural disasters. This credit equals 30% of qualified investments in eligible mitigation projects, subject to an annual cap of $300,000 per taxpayer. Qualifying projects must utilize specific hazard reduction techniques to protect property used for water-dependent commercial activities.

The Safeguarding American Tourism Act adjusts existing maritime laws, primarily exempting very large passenger vessels (800+ berths) from certain requirements under the Passenger Vessel Safety Act and the Jones Act regarding crewing and citizenship. Additionally, the bill clarifies the discretionary authority of officers regarding temporary landing permits for alien crewmen. This legislation ensures that these exemptions do not override other applicable U.S. laws governing coastwise trade.

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Justice Grant Reauthorization Act extends the authorization period for key addiction and recovery justice programs. This legislation removes previous funding caps and extends the program authorization from 2023 to 2030. This ensures continued federal support for vital community-based justice initiatives addressing substance use disorders.

The Veteran Families Health Services Act of 2025 expands reproductive and fertility preservation assistance for active-duty service members and provides comprehensive fertility treatment and adoption support for eligible veterans through the VA. This bill mandates coverage for fertility services, including IVF, regardless of marital status or sexual orientation, for both current service members and veterans. It also requires proactive measures, such as pre-deployment material preservation for service members and seamless care coordination between the DoD and VA.

The Pick Up After Your DOGE Act mandates that the U.S. DOGE Service report all its data access activities across other federal systems to Congress and the GAO. Furthermore, the Comptroller General is tasked with conducting security audits of the DOGE Service's systems and prioritizing reviews of high-impact agencies like Social Security and HHS. Agencies receiving audit reports must swiftly address identified vulnerabilities and report back on their remediation efforts.

The Open America's Ports Act significantly reforms maritime regulations by repealing domestic requirements under the Passenger Vessel Safety Act (PVSA). This legislation creates specific exemptions to the Jones Act requirements for vessels transporting passengers between U.S. ports, even if the itinerary includes a foreign stop. The bill also adjusts citizenship and crew requirements for these specified passenger vessels. Finally, it includes conforming amendments to ensure consistency across related maritime laws.

The EATS Act of 2025 revises eligibility rules for students seeking Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits by clarifying the definition of a "bona fide student." This legislation removes specific restrictions that previously barred many higher education students from receiving SNAP. The changes, including technical renumbering of relevant sections, will take effect on January 2, 2026.

The CAP Act of 2025 eliminates the special exemption that allowed institutions of higher education to hire H-1B visa holders outside of the annual numerical cap. Under this new law, H-1B workers employed by colleges and universities will now be subject to the same annual numerical limits and lottery system as all other H-1B applicants. This change standardizes the process for foreign nationals seeking employment in higher education roles.

The Fiscal Contingency Preparedness Act mandates that the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the OMB, must now include an analysis of potential financial risks to the federal government from major national or international emergencies in their annual fiscal report. This new requirement forces an examination of the short-term and long-term financial impacts of various crises, such as recessions, pandemics, or cyber attacks. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) will review the initial analysis to ensure the methodology is sound.

The Pay Paraprofessionals and Support Staff Act establishes a new federal funding stream to mandate that states set and meet minimum living wage standards for all school paraprofessionals and support staff. This legislation sets baseline minimum salaries and hourly wages, which increase with experience and are adjusted for inflation after 2030. States must apply for funding and create a four-year plan to ensure all local districts comply with these new pay requirements, using federal funds to supplement, not supplant, existing local education budgets.

The NCUA Central Liquidity Facility Enhancements Act grants the NCUA Board the authority to determine which credit unions are eligible to serve as agents within an agent group. This change updates existing law by replacing a specific list of eligible credit unions with broader discretionary power for the Board.

The Chairman James Mountain Inhofe Recognition Act of 2025 officially renames the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. This act ensures that the center will now be known as the James M. Inhofe Africa Center for Strategic Studies across all federal documents and records.

The Equal Shot Act of 2025 aims to prevent discrimination against businesses within the firearms industry when applying for financial assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA). This legislation explicitly prohibits the SBA from denying loans or guarantees solely based on an applicant's status as a firearm entity, affiliate, or trade association. The Act first establishes clear definitions for these industry participants to ensure fair and equal consideration for all qualified applicants.

The Food Date Labeling Act of 2025 establishes national standards for food date labeling, requiring manufacturers to use specific phrases like "BEST If Used By" for quality dates and "USE By" for discard dates. This legislation clarifies the meaning of these dates for consumers and prevents states from creating conflicting terminology. The new labeling requirements will take effect two years after the bill is enacted.

The Uterine Fibroid Intervention and Gynecological Health Treatment Act of 2025 aims to improve outcomes for those affected by uterine fibroids. This legislation mandates federal research into early detection and intervention strategies for fibroids. It also establishes grant programs for states to enhance screening, treatment access, and public awareness regarding these conditions. Finally, the Act requires regular reporting to Congress on the progress and findings from the funded research and programs.

The Medicaid Bump Act establishes a temporary, higher federal matching rate of 90% for state spending increases on Medicaid behavioral health services above a specified baseline. To qualify for this enhanced funding, states must ensure the new federal dollars supplement existing state spending and are used to improve service delivery, such as raising provider payment rates. The bill also mandates that the Secretary of HHS issue guidance defining covered services and submit an annual report to Congress detailing state payment rates and utilization data for these services.

The Safe Response Act updates the First Responder Training Program to broaden the scope of medical tools covered and modernize terminology related to Native American governing bodies. It revises the focus of drug training by removing the specific term "opioid" while expanding coverage to include "other drug" in overdose response training. Crucially, the bill significantly increases the annual funding for this program from \$36 million to \$57 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

The Repealing the Trump Sick Tax Act aims to reverse previous legislative changes affecting Medicaid and drug pricing. Specifically, it eliminates prior modifications to Medicaid cost-sharing requirements and repeals changes concerning the exclusion of orphan drugs from the Drug Price Negotiation Program. This effectively restores the original rules governing these areas under the Social Security Act.