Legislation

The "Expanding Access to Capital for Rural Job Creators Act" amends the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 to include rural-area small businesses in the list of entities the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation should focus on. This ensures that the Advocate identifies problems and provides assistance to these businesses, as well as conducts outreach activities to support them.

The "Incentivizing Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Sales Act of 2025" incentivizes land conservation by excluding from gross income the gains from sales of real property to qualified organizations for the purposes of the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration (REPI) program. This exclusion applies to various real property interests, including remainder interests and restrictions on property use, as long as the sale aligns with Department of Defense REPI program goals. There are limitations to prevent short-term property speculation by pass-through entities, with exceptions for family-owned entities. This act aims to promote both military readiness and environmental protection through strategic land conservation.

The "Government Shutdown Prevention Act of 2025" aims to prevent government shutdowns by automatically continuing funding for programs, projects, and activities if a new fiscal year begins without an approved budget. Funding will be capped at 94% of the previous year's rate, decreasing by 1% every 90 days, with exceptions for entitlements and mandatory payments. This ensures that the government remains operational while incentivizing Congress to pass regular appropriation bills.

The "Restoring Checks and Balances Act" introduces a five-year sunset provision for new federal regulations, requiring Congressional reauthorization for them to continue. Agency heads must submit reauthorization requests to Congress with justifications one year before expiration, and these reports must be publicly accessible. This act does not override the Administrative Procedure Act and defines key terms such as "agency," "covered rule," and "sunset" to clarify the scope and implementation of the new requirements. Certain types of rules are excluded, such as those related to military or foreign affairs, or those needed for enforcing federal criminal laws.

The "Increasing Response Options and Deterrence of Missile Engagements Act of 2025" or the "IRONDOME Act of 2025" aims to bolster U.S. missile defense capabilities by accelerating the development, production, and deployment of advanced missile defense systems and technologies. It mandates the transfer of missile defense operations to military departments, promotes rapid acquisition of missile detection and defense systems, and expands interceptor production and infrastructure. The act also directs the Secretary of Defense to enhance technology exchange with allies and secure critical supply chains, authorizing significant appropriations for these efforts.

The "Respect State Housing Laws Act" repeals a provision in the CARES Act that restricted states' abilities to enforce their own eviction moratoriums. This change clarifies that state laws regarding evictions should be respected.

The TAILOR Act of 2025 aims to tailor financial regulations to the risk profile and business models of financial institutions, reducing the regulatory burden on lower-risk institutions. It requires agencies to consider the impact of regulations, disclose their decision-making process, and report to Congress annually. The act also mandates simpler reporting rules for community banks and a report on modernizing bank supervision.

The "Supporting Made in America Energy Act" mandates the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a minimum number of oil and natural gas lease sales annually for both onshore and offshore lands, including specific requirements for the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska regions. It extends the moratorium on oil and gas leasing in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico until December 31, 2035, and sets deadlines for preparing subsequent oil and gas leasing programs. The Act also restricts the President's authority to pause or impede Federal energy mineral leasing processes without congressional approval.

The "POSTAL Act" prevents the U.S. Postal Service from closing or downgrading processing and distribution centers if doing so would leave a state without one. A processing and distribution center is defined as a central mail facility that distributes mail, provides mail preparation instructions, dispatch schedules, and sorting plans, and is a sectional center facility, a general mail facility, or a dedicated mail processing facility without a station or branch. The term "State" includes a State or the District of Columbia.

The TICKET Act mandates that ticket sellers disclose the total price of event tickets, inclusive of all fees, in any advertisement or listing, as well as provide a breakdown of the base ticket price and each individual fee to the buyer. This act aims to provide transparency in ticket pricing and is enforced by the Federal Trade Commission.

The PANELS Act denies federal clean energy tax credits for solar energy facilities built on prime or unique farmland, as defined by federal regulations. This change aims to protect valuable agricultural land by removing incentives for solar development on these specific areas.

The "Fair Milk Pricing for Farmers Act" mandates that dairy manufacturers report detailed production costs and product yield information to the Department of Agriculture. The Secretary of Agriculture will then publish a report, starting three years after the Act's enactment and every two years thereafter, containing the collected production cost data. This aims to provide greater transparency in milk pricing.

The "Stop the ICC Act" prohibits U.S. officials from cooperating with the International Criminal Court (ICC) on any matter and withholds economic support to the Palestinian Authority due to ICC investigations against Israeli officials. It also blocks funds to support the Palestinian Authority and forbids federal funds from being used for the ICC or to support any ICC activities.

The Cyber Conspiracy Modernization Act amends Section 1030(c) of title 18, United States Code, to include conspiracies to violate computer fraud and abuse laws. This update extends the penalties for attempting to violate these laws to also cover conspiracies to violate them.

The Plum Island Preservation Act permanently protects Plum Island, New York, for ecological conservation, historical and cultural heritage, and continued access. It directs the Administrator of General Services to conduct visioning sessions with federal, state, and tribal stakeholders to develop an ecological management plan. The Administrator must also submit annual reports to Congress detailing the progress and outcomes of these visioning sessions.

The Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act of 2025 amends the Southwest Forest Health and Wildfire Prevention Act of 2004 to include Utah in the program. This inclusion aims to enhance wildfire research and prevention efforts within the state.

This bill supports designating March 15, 2025, as "National Osceola Turkey Day" to recognize the wild turkey's historical and economic significance, particularly the Osceola subspecies unique to Florida. It highlights the importance of turkey hunting for conservation, cultural heritage, and economic impact, especially in Florida, where revenue from permits supports habitat management and research. The bill encourages the people of the United States to observe National Osceola Turkey Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

The "No Propaganda Act" prohibits the use of federal funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and prevents CPB from accepting such funds. It also rescinds any remaining funds allocated to CPB from the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, and the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024.

The "One Flag for All Act" generally prohibits the display of flags other than the United States flag on the exterior and publicly accessible areas of federal buildings, military installations, and U.S. embassies. It includes exceptions for flags such as the POW/MIA flag, flags of visiting diplomats, state flags displayed by Members of Congress, flags representing branches of the Armed Forces, flags of historical significance, and flags representing religious organizations or churches during religious events at military installations. Additional exceptions are made for flags representing public safety, special national observances, a Federal agency, an Indian Tribe, and the State, territory, county, city, or local jurisdiction where the covered public building is located.

The "Quapaw Tribal Settlement Act of 2025" establishes a trust account within the Department of Interior and authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to pay \$137.5 million to the Quapaw Nation and individual members, as Claimants, to settle legal claims. It outlines a process for distributing these funds, prioritizing mediation among the Claimants to develop a distribution plan. If mediation fails, the Secretary of the Interior will determine the final allocation of the settlement proceeds based on a set of procedures and deadlines.