Legislation

The REDUCE Act requires Transmission Organizations to allow aggregators of retail customers to submit bids that aggregate demand flexibility of the customers of certain utilities. It directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to issue a final rule implementing this requirement within 12 months.

The Chemical Tax Repeal Act repeals specific excise taxes on certain chemicals and substances listed under sections B and C of chapter 38 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. This repeal is set to take effect on January 1, 2024.

The "Codifying Useful Regulatory Definitions Act" (CURD Act) defines "natural cheese" to differentiate it from processed cheese, setting specific criteria for its production and composition. It restricts the use of "natural cheese" on labels to products meeting these standards, while allowing "natural" or "all-natural" claims as per existing regulations. The Act amends the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to include this new definition in labeling regulations.

The "Heartbeat Protection Act of 2025" prohibits abortions if a fetal heartbeat is detectable, with exceptions only to save the mother's life or in reported cases of rape or incest. Physicians must check for a fetal heartbeat before performing an abortion and document the findings. Violators may face fines and/or imprisonment, but the mother cannot be prosecuted. The act does not override stricter state laws or create a right to abortion.

The CLEAR Act of 2025 aims to enhance cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement in the enforcement of immigration laws. It encourages state and local law enforcement to assist in immigration enforcement by reaffirming their authority and providing financial assistance, training, and immunity for actions taken. The Act also mandates the sharing of information on immigration violators, increases federal detention space, and ensures federal custody of undocumented immigrants apprehended by state or local authorities. Additionally, it continues and expands the Institutional Removal Program to identify and remove criminal aliens from prisons.

The "Neighbors Not Enemies Act" repeals the Alien Enemies Act, specifically removing sections 4067 through 4070 of the Revised Statutes of the United States. This eliminates the outdated provisions that allowed for the apprehension, restraint, securing, and removal of alien enemies during times of war or declared invasion.

The Student Empowerment Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow 529 savings accounts to cover a broader range of elementary and secondary education expenses, including homeschooling costs such as curriculum, materials, tutoring, and educational therapies for students with disabilities. This expansion aims to provide families with greater flexibility in using 529 accounts to support their children's education.

The "Ending Chemical Abortions Act of 2025" seeks to prohibit chemical abortions by imposing imprisonment and/or fines on anyone who prescribes, dispenses, distributes, or sells drugs to cause an abortion, with exceptions only for contraceptives, miscarriage treatment, or to save a woman's life. This act renames chapter 74 of title 18, United States Code, to "Abortion crimes." It defines key terms such as "abortion," "pregnancy," and "unborn child" and clarifies that women undergoing chemical abortions will not be prosecuted under this section.

The RED TAPE Act prioritizes easily measured monetary benefits in regulatory decisions, requiring agencies to demonstrate clear financial benefits from regulations while minimizing costs. It amends Title 5 of the U.S. Code to prohibit the consideration of non-monetized or unquantified factors in regulatory impact analyses and benefit-cost analyses. The Act mandates transparency by requiring agencies to publish detailed analyses in the Federal Register and allows affected parties to challenge rules that violate these provisions in court. It applies to rules issued on or after November 9, 2023, with changes effective 30 days after enactment.

This bill mandates that federal agencies, excluding the Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration, submit zero-based budgets to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget every six years. As part of this budget, agencies must comprehensively analyze their programs and recommend at least a 2% reduction in discretionary spending, promoting efficiency and prioritization.

The "Pregnancy Resource Center Defense Act" increases criminal penalties and civil fines for intentionally damaging facilities that exclusively offer abortion-alternative services or places of religious worship. It also sets a minimum 7-year prison sentence for damaging or destroying such facilities or places of worship.

The "Preventing Financial Exploitation in Higher Education Act" aims to hold colleges accountable for their students' loan outcomes by imposing financial penalties on institutions with large endowments if their students have high rates of loan default, delinquency, or underpayment. It also increases the tax on net investment income for certain educational institutions with large endowments that increase tuition. These penalties and tax increases are designed to encourage institutions to better support their students in managing their student loan obligations and to control tuition costs. The penalties collected will not affect the borrower's loan status or obligations.

The "Standing Against Houthi Aggression Act" requires the Secretary of State to designate Ansarallah (the Houthis) as a foreign terrorist organization. It also mandates the President to impose sanctions on Ansarallah, its members, agents, affiliates, or those owned or controlled by it within 90 days of enactment.

The VA Home Loan Awareness Act of 2025 requires that the Uniform Residential Loan Application include a disclaimer informing applicants that they may qualify for a VA Home Loan if they have served in the military. It also requires the Comptroller General of the United States to conduct a study on whether lenders are including the disclaimer.

The "Public Safety First Act" mandates the detention of aliens who have committed theft, burglary, assault of a law enforcement officer, or any crime resulting in death or serious bodily injury. It amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to ensure these individuals are detained throughout their immigration proceedings. The Department of Homeland Security is required to issue detainers for these aliens, ensuring they are taken into custody.

The "Energy for America's Economic Future Act" directs 25% of revenue from federal oil and gas leases, including activities under Executive Order 14141, into a newly established Debt Reduction Fund. This fund will be used quarterly to reduce the federal debt by redeeming Treasury securities or other debt instruments. The Secretary of the Treasury is required to report to Congress on the fund's deposits, securities redeemed, and the resulting debt reduction.

The LICENSE Act of 2025 modifies commercial driver's license (CDL) regulations, directing the Secretary of Transportation to update title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, within 90 days. These revisions include requirements for CDL knowledge test examiners and allow states to administer driving skills tests to any CDL applicant, regardless of their residence or training location.

The "Farm to Fly Act of 2025" aims to promote the production and use of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) by integrating them into Department of Agriculture bioenergy programs. It amends existing definitions to include SAF, sets specific standards for SAF qualification, and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to advance SAF development through inter-agency collaboration, public-private partnerships, and support for American farmers. The act seeks to increase domestic energy security, support the agricultural sector, and foster rural economic growth by accelerating a commercially viable SAF industry in the U.S.

The Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act aims to protect U.S. agriculture by including it under the oversight of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This bill adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the CFIUS committee and expands CFIUS authority to review transactions that could result in foreign control of U.S. businesses involved in agriculture. Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Comptroller General are required to analyze foreign influence in the U.S. agriculture industry and submit a report to Congress.

The COVER Now Act allows local governments in states that haven't expanded Medicaid to create their own programs to provide medical assistance to those who would be eligible under Medicaid expansion. The federal government would match a percentage of the costs. States are prohibited from interfering with these local programs. The Department of Health and Human Services will oversee the demonstration project and report to Congress on its impact.