Legislation

This act, the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Integrity and Deficit Reduction Act, redirects existing federal funds to bolster reemployment services and eligibility assessments. It transfers the entire unobligated balance from a specific Internal Revenue Code fund to the Employment Security Administration Account of the Unemployment Trust Fund. These dedicated funds will support crucial programs aimed at helping individuals return to work.

The HALOS Act of 2025 directs the SEC to revise rules regarding general solicitation to allow issuers to present at certain sponsored events without violating prohibitions against general advertising. These events must be hosted by approved entities like universities, incubators, or angel groups, and adhere to strict guidelines regarding advertising and sponsor involvement. This clarification aims to facilitate capital formation for startups by providing a clearer path for them to connect with potential investors.

The TRACK Act establishes the Transparency in Recovery Assistance and Claims Knowledge Act to mandate the creation of a public, interactive online dashboard for tracking disaster relief grants. This dashboard will provide detailed, real-time information on FEMA's review, approval, and disbursement process for public assistance awards following a major disaster. The goal is to increase transparency and accountability in how federal disaster aid is administered.

The Fast Track To and Through College Act establishes a competitive grant program to help states accelerate students' time to degree, lower college costs, and boost completion rates. This is achieved by aligning high school and postsecondary education through guaranteed credit transfer pathways and early college options. Furthermore, the bill allows eligible high school students participating in these pathways to receive Federal Pell Grants to cover educational expenses. States receiving grants must prioritize historically underrepresented students and ensure pathway participation reflects state demographics.

The Restoring Patient Protections and Affordability Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the Affordable Care Act marketplaces by extending financial assistance and lengthening enrollment periods to keep coverage affordable. It also increases transparency by requiring insurers to notify enrollees of key coverage changes and establishes new rules to simplify enrollment and stabilize market costs. Overall, the bill seeks to increase health insurance accessibility and provide greater financial predictability for consumers.

The No Palaces Act establishes new, strict requirements for any improvements or demolition on the White House or its grounds. It mandates consultation and approval from the National Capital Planning Commission before any work can begin. Furthermore, Congress is given a 60-day window to block approved improvements via a joint resolution of disapproval. The Act also restricts the use of private funds for such projects and creates an expedited judicial review process for alleged violations.

The Health Marketplace and Savings Accounts for All Act significantly expands Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) by removing enrollment restrictions and increasing contribution limits, making them accessible to everyone. It also establishes new "health marketplace pools" that allow non-traditional organizations to offer group health insurance options. These changes aim to provide broader access to both flexible medical savings and comprehensive group coverage.

This bill posthumously awards a single Congressional Gold Medal to the 30 civilian workers who died in the Thiokol Chemical Corporation explosions in Georgia while manufacturing munitions for the Vietnam War. The medal recognizes their sacrifice and contribution to the nation. Following the award ceremony, the gold medal will be given to the Thiokol Memorial Museum for public display. The legislation also authorizes the creation and sale of bronze duplicate medals to cover production costs.

The Medicare-X Choice Act of 2025 establishes a new, low-cost public health insurance option, the Medicare Exchange plan, available nationwide on the ACA marketplaces starting in 2028. The bill also creates a national reinsurance program to lower individual market premiums and expands premium tax credit eligibility by removing the 400% income cap and fixing the "family glitch." Furthermore, it grants Medicare the authority to negotiate prescription drug prices and increases funding for antitrust enforcement in healthcare markets.

The AI Talent Act establishes specialized hiring teams within federal agencies and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to recruit top technology and AI talent. This legislation allows for the development and use of position-specific technical assessments to better evaluate candidates for competitive service positions. Ultimately, the goal is to streamline and improve the federal government's ability to hire essential technical expertise.

The Right to Read Act of 2025 aims to strengthen literacy and information access by defining and supporting "effective school libraries" staffed by certified librarians. It amends federal education law to require states and districts to ensure equitable access to these libraries, culturally diverse materials, and evidence-based reading instruction for all students. The bill also authorizes new funding for literacy programs and establishes national data collection on school library resources. Finally, it provides liability protections for school staff acting on established right-to-read policies and affirms students' First Amendment rights within school libraries.

The Back the Blue Act of 2025 establishes new federal crimes and harsher penalties for killing or assaulting law enforcement officers and other public safety officials. The bill also creates specific aggravating factors for the federal death penalty in such cases and places new restrictions on federal habeas corpus relief for related state convictions. Finally, it expands federal protections allowing active and retired law enforcement officers to carry firearms in various federal locations.

The Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act aims to streamline the creation of healthcare apprenticeship programs by establishing a national registration system. This legislation mandates that the Department of Labor must decide on apprenticeship applications within 45 days. Furthermore, the Act requires the digitization of all apprenticeship agreement forms for improved efficiency.

The Dream Act of 2025 establishes a pathway to conditional permanent resident status for eligible long-term residents who entered the U.S. as children. This status lasts for eight years and requires meeting specific criteria related to continuous presence, good moral character, and education or military service. After meeting further requirements, including education, military service, or employment benchmarks, individuals can apply to remove the conditional basis and obtain full lawful permanent resident status. The bill also mandates strong confidentiality protections for applicant information, prohibiting its use for general immigration enforcement.

The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act aims to update and index the Social Security lump sum death payment. This bill sets the fixed payment amount at \$2,900, effective January 1, 2026.

The Native American Seeds Act of 2025 directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a program to collect, produce, and preserve Native American seeds in consultation with Indian Tribes. This legislation mandates the development of seed banks and nurseries to support these culturally significant seeds. Furthermore, the Act requires collaboration with Tribes to identify and protect these seeds while ensuring the confidentiality of sensitive Tribal information.

The Junk Fee Prevention Act aims to protect consumers by requiring clear, upfront disclosure of all mandatory fees for event tickets, short-term lodging, and communications services. This legislation prohibits excessive or deceptive fees across these sectors and specifically bans early termination fees for communication services. Furthermore, it mandates increased transparency regarding ancillary fees charged by airlines.

This bill, the "Protect Innocent Victims of Taxation After Fire Extension Act," excludes federal income tax on qualified relief payments received by individuals for losses, expenses, or damages resulting from federally declared wildfires occurring after December 31, 2014. This exclusion applies only to amounts not already covered by insurance or other sources. The tax benefit is effective for payments received after December 31, 2025.

The PBM Disclosure Act clarifies existing requirements under ERISA for brokers and consultants to employer-sponsored health plans to disclose all direct and indirect compensation related to pharmacy benefit management services. This ensures transparency regarding payments received for PBM services provided to these health plans. The Department of Labor is tasked with issuing clarifying regulations within 180 days of enactment.

The Deter Obnoxious, Nefarious, and Outrageous Telephone Calls Act of 2025, or the DO NOT Call Act, establishes new criminal penalties for willfully violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). This legislation significantly increases the severity of penalties for repeat offenders or those involved in large-scale robocalling operations. Additionally, the bill doubles the existing civil fines for providing inaccurate caller ID information.