Legislation

The "Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act" directs the Under Secretary to establish a program to improve the lead time, accuracy, and dissemination of atmospheric river forecasts. This program will focus on enhancing data modeling, developing a unified forecast system, and incorporating social and economic sciences to better predict and communicate the impacts of atmospheric rivers. The Under Secretary is also required to maintain adequate aircraft and equipment for atmospheric river reconnaissance and establish at least one atmospheric river observatory in each West Coast state, including Alaska. Finally, the bill requires the Under Secretary to develop a plan detailing the activities, resources, and timelines to achieve the program's goals, ensuring it is submitted to relevant committees and made publicly available.

The "RETIREES FIRST Act" adjusts the income thresholds at which Social Security benefits become taxable, raising them to \$34,000 for individuals and \$68,000 for joint returns, and adjusts for inflation after 2025. It ensures no negative impact on Social Security and Railroad Retirement funds by allocating funds to cover any reduction in transfers to these funds. The bill reallocates non-security discretionary appropriations to cover the cost of retiree tax relief, with the Office of Management and Budget required to publish annual reports detailing rescissions. These changes would apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Mortgage Insurance Tax Deduction Act of 2025" permanently extends the deduction for mortgage insurance premiums. This allows eligible taxpayers to continue deducting these premiums, reducing their overall tax liability. This change is effective for amounts paid or accrued after December 31, 2024.

The "PLAN for Broadband Act" directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce to develop a National Strategy to Synchronize Federal Broadband Programs, aiming to improve coordination, reduce barriers, and ensure efficient use of funds for high-speed internet access across the U.S. This strategy requires covered agencies to coordinate and streamline the approval process for broadband infrastructure projects on federal properties. The Act also mandates an implementation plan, regular briefings to Congress, and a Government Accountability Office study to assess and improve the strategy's effectiveness. Finally, the Act requires agencies to track application processing times and sets a minimum project cost for NEPA review.

The "Dr. Lorna Breen Health Care Provider Protection Reauthorization Act" reauthorizes and expands programs aimed at supporting the mental health of healthcare providers. It requires annual reports on education and awareness initiatives, broadens eligibility for entities receiving funds, and extends funding for mental health support programs through 2030. The Act prioritizes reducing administrative burdens on healthcare workers to improve access to mental health services.

This bill disapproves and invalidates the Environmental Protection Agency's rule that withdrew a technical amendment to Ohio's air quality plan.

This bill, also known as the "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is Resolution," reduces the Members' Representational Allowance for each House member by $100,000 for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, relative to the 2025 allowance.

The "STOP MADNESS Act" allows the President to impose economic and financial sanctions on foreign governments and individuals who obstruct the repatriation of their citizens unlawfully present in the U.S. or who facilitate unlawful immigration into the U.S. The goal of the act is to protect national security by penalizing those who resist repatriation efforts or knowingly support unlawful immigration. The President is required to report to Congress on actions taken under this act, and is able to waive sanctions if it is in the interest of national security.

The Treatment and Homelessness Housing Integration Act of 2024 directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a demonstration program that will award grants to Continuums of Care in high-homelessness areas, connecting participants in supportive housing programs with Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics for treatment of behavioral health, mental health, and substance use disorders. The program aims to improve access to care for homeless individuals with disabilities and requires a report to Congress on its effectiveness. The bill authorizes \$50,000,000 to be appropriated for fiscal years 2025 through 2029 to carry out the program.

This bill requires the President to review and report to Congress on whether sanctions should be imposed on specific individuals, including Hong Kong officials and judges, based on their actions related to human rights and democracy. The review will assess if these individuals meet the criteria for sanctions under existing laws and executive orders, such as the Global Magnitsky Act and the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. Individuals to be reviewed include those previously sanctioned like John Lee Ka-chiu, and other officials such as Paul Lam Ting-kwok. This bill aims to ensure accountability for actions undermining Hong Kong's autonomy and human rights.

The SAFE Act removes penalties for individuals who fail to pay income tax if they pay at least 125% of their previous year's income tax liability on time. Certain conditions apply, such as having filed a return the previous year and the previous tax year being 12 months. This exception is valid until the tax return due date or filing date, and takes effect for taxable years starting after December 31, 2024.

The "Achieving Choice in Education Act" (ACE Act) expands the uses of 529 savings accounts to include K-12 expenses like homeschooling, increases the annual distribution limit for elementary and secondary expenses, and modifies gift tax exclusions for 529 plan contributions. Additionally, it restricts tax-exempt bonds to states that implement school choice laws, incentivizing states to adopt such programs by tying their bond status to specific school choice criteria and eligibility thresholds.

The "Warriors to Workforce Act" increases educational assistance for veterans in their first year of full-time apprenticeships or on-the-job training. It raises the assistance level from 80% to 90% of the full benefit amount for those using educational assistance.

The "NO GOTION Act" denies green energy tax benefits to companies associated with foreign adversaries, including those owned, controlled, or influenced by them. This applies to various tax credits and incentives related to clean energy, and includes specific criteria for defining a "disqualified company" based on its ties to foreign adversaries. The bill aims to prevent foreign adversaries from benefiting from U.S. green energy tax incentives.

The "Taliban Rare Earth Minerals Sanctions Act" imposes sanctions on foreign individuals and entities involved in significant transactions related to Afghanistan's rare earth mineral sector. These sanctions include blocking property transactions within the U.S. and denying U.S. visas. Penalties will be applied to those who violate the act.

The "Defund the CFPB Act" amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to eliminate the funding available to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, effectively defunding the agency. This would be achieved by capping the amount the Director of the Bureau may request to fund the Bureau's activities to $0.

The "Medicaid Improvement and State Flexibility Act of 2025" amends the Social Security Act, granting states more authority to approve and implement experimental Medicaid projects. These projects involve enrolling participants in state-designed plans with EBT cards for healthcare, catastrophic insurance coverage, and potential cash payments. The bill ensures federal expenditures do not exceed existing levels and prohibits the use of project funds for abortions, except in specific cases. It also treats the state as the approving authority for these projects, rather than the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The "Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025" aims to support youth mentoring programs by establishing a competitive grant program for eligible organizations. These grants will fund initiatives that help young people develop cognitive, social, and emotional skills, explore careers, and prepare for the workforce through mentoring and other support services. The act prioritizes programs serving high-need youth and requires grantees to report on outcomes while protecting student privacy. Additionally, the Department of Labor is directed to study mentoring programs to identify best practices and evaluate the effectiveness of the grant program.

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide timely relief, within 120 days, to veterans who experience losses due to administrative errors made by the Secretary. It mandates the Secretary to cancel debt collection agreements promptly if the debt was determined in error.

The "Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking Act" amends the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 to increase the allowable grant funding for administrative costs, technical assistance, and training activities. It raises the cap for administrative costs from 3% to 7% and for technical assistance and training from 5% to 10%, to strengthen program administration and budgeting. Additionally, it increases the amount of grant funding that can be used for direct victim services from 75% to 95%.