Legislation

The Fast Track Healthcare Apprenticeships Act aims to streamline the creation of healthcare apprenticeship programs by establishing a national registration system with strict 45-day processing deadlines. This legislation mandates the digitization of all apprenticeship agreement forms to modernize the administrative process. The goal is to accelerate the development of the healthcare workforce.

This Act establishes the Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force within the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Task Force will improve healthcare, align research, and establish baselines for service members and veterans affected by blast overpressure exposure. It is charged with prioritizing research on related conditions and submitting annual reports with recommendations for evaluating service-connected neurological injuries.

This bill officially recognizes the service of individuals who served in the United States Cadet Nurse Corps between 1943 and 1948. It directs the Secretary of Defense to issue an honorable discharge to eligible former nurses, honoring them as veterans for specific benefit purposes. The legislation also authorizes the creation of commemorative items to acknowledge their service.

This act requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to apply new environmental and equity standards when approving natural gas pipeline projects. FERC must evaluate a project's greenhouse gas emissions and its impact on environmental justice communities when determining "public convenience and necessity." The bill mandates that applicants propose mitigation for adverse effects, and FERC must weigh these environmental impacts against the project's benefits.

This bill establishes a new tax-exempt status for organizations focused on making essential drugs and medical devices affordable. To qualify, these "public interest" organizations must meet strict criteria regarding their purpose and leadership ties to for-profit companies. The legislation also defines which drugs or devices qualify for this status based on factors like shortage risk or cost reduction potential. Finally, it sets rules to prevent excess benefit transactions involving these newly designated entities.

The Affordable Clean Water Infrastructure Act amends federal law to allow states to provide greater financial assistance, such as principal forgiveness, for wastewater projects that address affordability concerns. This legislation specifically targets helping communities afford wastewater services by expanding the use of water pollution control revolving loan funds. It also sets minimum requirements and provides extra support for rural, small, and tribal water systems.

The ADA 30 Days to Comply Act establishes a mandatory notice and cure period before a lawsuit can be filed regarding architectural barrier violations in existing public accommodations. This requires an individual to first provide the owner with detailed written notice of the specific barrier. The owner then has 30 days to respond with a plan for removal, and a lawsuit can only proceed if the owner fails to respond or fails to make substantial progress on the removal plan.

This Act terminates the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, immediately closing it to all new and pending applications. It mandates a comprehensive security reassessment for all current Afghan SIV holders admitted to the U.S. Furthermore, the bill requires an individualized review of each current beneficiary to determine their continued eligibility and potential removability based on security concerns or fraud.

The Family Vaccine Protection Act formally establishes the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in law, requiring its vaccine recommendations to be based strictly on the preponderance of the best available, peer-reviewed scientific evidence. It mandates that the CDC Director adopt these recommendations unless they can scientifically justify a deviation, with any contrary action requiring public justification and notification to Congress. Furthermore, the bill institutes a new scientific evidence standard for any changes made to the list of covered injuries within the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

This resolution expresses the urgent need for the United States to reaffirm its global leadership role in protecting religious freedom. It highlights rising religious intolerance worldwide and calls on the Secretary of State to use all available tools to discourage foreign governments engaged in violations. The resolution commits the U.S. to supporting those seeking freedom from authoritarian repression.

The Artificial Intelligence Civil Rights Act of 2025 establishes comprehensive rules to prevent discrimination by automated decision-making systems in critical areas like hiring, housing, and credit. It mandates that companies rigorously test, audit, and report on their algorithms for fairness and safety before and after deployment. The bill empowers the FTC, state attorneys general, and private citizens to enforce these standards, while also creating a dedicated federal workforce to oversee AI compliance. Ultimately, this legislation aims to increase accountability and ensure fairness when algorithms make consequential decisions about people's lives.

The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to establish a new grant program focused on building digital skills for workers in high-demand industries and fostering digital resilience. This program will award formula grants to states and competitive grants to eligible entities to expand digital workplace skills training, prioritizing individuals facing employment barriers. The legislation aims to close the significant digital skills gap affecting the current workforce and promote digital equity across communities.

The Social Security Survivor Benefits Equity Act aims to update and simplify the Social Security lump sum death payment. This bill establishes a fixed payment amount of \$2,900 for eligible survivors, replacing the current formula for deaths occurring on or after January 1, 2025.

The HELP Copays Act requires that financial assistance provided by non-profit organizations and drug manufacturers must count toward a patient's deductible, copayments, and out-of-pocket maximums for prescription drugs. This change ensures that patient assistance dollars directly reduce the amount a patient must pay before their coverage fully kicks in. The legislation specifically applies to specialty drugs and those subject to utilization management. These provisions will take effect for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2026.

The New Essential Education Discoveries Act of 2025 establishes a National Center for Advanced Development in Education to research and promote breakthrough solutions in teaching and learning based on the science of learning. The bill also authorizes competitive grants for states to design, develop, and improve comprehensive statewide longitudinal data systems linking education and workforce data. These provisions aim to accelerate educational innovation and enhance data-driven decision-making to improve student outcomes.

The Puerto Rico Postal Equity Act of 2025 mandates the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to rapidly improve address accuracy in Puerto Rico by updating its systems to properly recognize local conventions, including diacritical marks. This action aims to resolve persistent mail delivery failures and ensure equitable access to federal services. The Postmaster General must consult with local entities and report annually to Congress on the progress made.

The Right to Read Act of 2025 amends federal education law to establish a comprehensive "right to read" for all students, ensuring access to evidence-based instruction, effective school libraries, and diverse reading materials. The bill defines key terms like "effective school library" and mandates that states and local agencies detail plans to support these resources and protect students' First Amendment rights regarding information access. Furthermore, it authorizes significant new funding to improve literacy programs, support school librarians, and mandates national data collection on school library resources.

The Border Patrol Supervisors Retention Act aims to improve retention by establishing higher rates of regularly scheduled overtime pay for certain U.S. Border Patrol agents. This legislation expands eligibility for these enhanced overtime rates beyond GS-12 agents to include those at grades GS-12, GS-13, GS-14, and GS-15.

The Digital Skills for Today’s Workforce Act establishes a new grant program to expand digital workplace skills training across the nation. This initiative aims to build digital competency for workers in high-demand industries and foster digitally resilient education and workforce systems. Funds will be distributed to states via formula grants, which must then be used to award subgrants to local entities, alongside direct competitive grants from the Department of Labor. The overall goal is to help individuals access better jobs by closing digital skill gaps.

The Access to New Community Health Opportunities and Recovery Act of 2025 (ANCHOR Act) establishes an option for states to provide Medicaid coverage to uninsured individuals with serious mental illness or substance use disorders whose income is at or below 100% of the federal poverty line. This initial one-year coverage requires states to ensure enrollees receive a care plan and report on specific behavioral health quality measures. States may choose to extend coverage annually after redetermining eligibility.