Legislation

The Women and Underrepresented Minorities in STEM Booster Act of 2025 establishes a new grant program managed by the National Science Foundation. This program is designed to increase the participation and retention of women, underrepresented minorities, and people with disabilities in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. Funds will support activities such as mentoring, internships, and outreach aimed at addressing documented gaps in STEM education and the workforce. Congress has authorized $15 million annually for this initiative from 2026 through 2030.

The SAFE STEPS for Veterans Act of 2025 establishes a dedicated Office of Falls Prevention within the VA to centralize and standardize all efforts to reduce falls among veterans. This office will set care standards, oversee national education campaigns, and promote research into evidence-based prevention programs. The Act also mandates specific falls risk assessments and prevention services for veterans in VA nursing homes and updates requirements for extended care services.

The Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2025 mandates a complete overhaul of how colleges present financial aid offers through a new, standardized "Financial Aid Offer" form. This form will require clear separation of total costs, grants/scholarships, and loans to help families easily compare offers and understand their net price. All institutions accepting federal aid must use this standardized format and official terminology developed by the Secretary of Education. The goal is to increase transparency and simplify the financial decision-making process for students.

The Community Services Block Grant Improvement Act of 2025 aims to strengthen federal efforts to combat poverty by updating the core goals and operational rules of the Community Services Block Grant program. The bill revises definitions, sets a specific annual funding authorization through Fiscal Year 2032, and tightens requirements for state plans and local agency governance, including mandating tripartite boards. Ultimately, these changes seek to ensure grant funds are effectively used by local entities to promote the self-sufficiency of low-income individuals and families.

This bill establishes the Commission on Exploring the Creation of a Sovereign Wealth Fund of the United States. This commission, composed of Federal Reserve, Treasury, SEC, Commerce officials, and outside experts, will conduct a comprehensive study on establishing a U.S. sovereign wealth fund. Their investigation will cover potential funding sources, investment strategies, governance, and the economic impacts of such a fund. The commission must deliver a final report with legislative recommendations to Congress within two years of its first meeting.

This bill amends the National Child Protection Act of 1993 to expand background check requirements for individuals working with vulnerable populations. It specifically mandates checks for contractors and licensed or certified individuals working with organizations that contract with qualified entities. This broadens the scope beyond direct employees to include a wider range of personnel interacting with vulnerable groups.

This Act officially renames Taiwan's primary diplomatic office in the U.S. from the "Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office" to the "Taiwan Representative Office." It directs the U.S. government to treat this office with the diplomatic courtesies afforded to other foreign nations, consistent with existing U.S. policy. This renaming does not alter the official U.S. stance on Taiwan's international status or restore full diplomatic relations.

The Restoring Fair Housing Protections Eliminated by Trump Act of 2025 aims to reverse recent administrative actions that Congress views as undermining fair housing laws. The bill officially redefines the mission of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to actively promote inclusive communities and mandates the creation of a new, robust definition for "Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing." Furthermore, it requires HUD to study the impact of AI on housing discrimination and establish a publicly accessible database detailing all fair housing complaints.

The Rural Patient Monitoring Access Act aims to improve access to remote patient monitoring (RPM) for rural Medicare beneficiaries. It establishes a minimum payment floor for the geographic indices used to calculate practice expense and malpractice costs for RPM services starting in 2026. Furthermore, the bill sets new quality requirements for RPM providers to qualify for Medicare payment, including real-time clinical availability and data interoperability. Finally, it mandates a future report analyzing the actual cost savings generated by these enhanced RPM services.

The Liberating Incandescent Technology Act of 2025 (LIT Act) primarily makes technical updates to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act concerning general service lamps. This involves renumbering definitions and updating cross-references throughout the relevant sections of the law. The bill also officially cancels several previous Department of Energy rules related to energy conservation standards for these lamps.

The Better CARE for Animals Act of 2025 significantly strengthens the enforcement of the Animal Welfare Act by clarifying definitions and expanding inspection powers. It grants the Attorney General direct authority to sue violators, seek injunctions, and impose substantial daily civil penalties. Furthermore, the bill allows for the seizure of animals involved in violations and mandates that collected penalty funds be used to reimburse temporary animal care costs.

The Student Loan Tax Elimination Act abolishes origination fees charged on federal direct student loans. This change removes the upfront fees borrowers typically pay when taking out these federal loans. The elimination takes effect for new loans disbursed on or after July 1st following the law's enactment.

The Federal Reserve Financial Accountability and Transparency Act mandates significant new disclosures in the Federal Reserve's annual report. This legislation requires the Board of Governors to detail spending and staffing across all Federal Reserve banks, categorized by function, including supervision, operations, and research. Furthermore, the bill requires specific reporting on the costs associated with the Fed's top research areas and all rulemaking activities.

The Fresh Start Act of 2025 incentivizes states to adopt automatic criminal record expungement laws by tying them to federal gun violence prevention grants. This legislation requires states receiving these funds to automatically clear or seal eligible criminal records without requiring individual action or payment of outstanding fees. Recipients must also annually report detailed data on the process, broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender, which the Attorney General will then make public.

This bill mandates that certain immigration officers from agencies like CBP and ICE must clearly display large, highly visible identification during all enforcement actions. The identification, at least 12x6 inches, cannot be obscured by external gear like body armor. This ensures clear identification of immigration officers while they are actively carrying out their duties.

The Save Healthcare Workers Act aims to protect hospital personnel by making assault against them a federal crime with severe penalties. It also establishes a new federal grant program to help hospitals implement crucial safety measures, such as violence prevention training and physical security upgrades. This legislation seeks to reduce workplace violence in healthcare settings across the nation.

The Help Hoover Dam Act authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to use non-reimbursable funds recovered from the Boulder Canyon Project for the operation, maintenance, and capital improvements of the Hoover Dam. This allows for flexible spending on project needs, provided the Secretary consults with relevant Boulder Canyon Project contractors before expenditure.

The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act of 2025 aims to simplify and broaden what inventions qualify for patent protection by eliminating judge-made exceptions to current law. It establishes that any useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter is eligible, provided it meets a new "specific and practical utility" standard. While core exclusions like pure mathematical formulas and abstract business methods remain, the bill clarifies that human genes and natural materials are patentable if modified or used in a new invention. This legislation ensures that eligibility is determined by examining the entire claim, independent of existing novelty or obviousness standards.

The Securing Help for Immigrants through Education and Legal Development (SHIELD) Act establishes a federal grant program to expand legal services for immigrants facing deportation. This initiative aims to build the necessary legal infrastructure and workforce to ensure high-quality representation, recognizing the critical impact legal counsel has on case outcomes. The Attorney General will administer competitive grants to state/local governments and nonprofits to hire, train, and retain immigration defense staff. Congress authorizes $100 million for this program for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.

The Expanding Regional Airports Act establishes the Regional Airport Expansion Program to provide federal grants to eligible general aviation or nonprimary commercial service airports serving communities of at least 75,000 people. These funds are designated for projects that increase airport capacity, such as expanding passenger areas, lengthening runways, or upgrading infrastructure. The program mandates the distribution of between three and ten grants annually, supported by an authorized appropriation of $50 million each fiscal year.