Legislation

The Curb Private Utilities Corruption Act (CPUC Act) mandates that state utility regulatory boards publicly disclose meetings held with lobbyists or representatives from electric companies. This aims to increase transparency regarding who is influencing utility regulation decisions. States must review and make a final decision on adopting this public disclosure standard within one year of the Act's enactment.

The No Budget, No Pay Act mandates that Congress must pass the concurrent budget resolution and all necessary appropriations bills by October 1st each year. If Congress fails to meet this deadline, Members of Congress will have their pay suspended for the period of non-compliance. This suspension includes a prohibition on receiving any retroactive back pay for the time they were out of compliance. These provisions are set to take effect starting September 29, 2027.

The North Rim Restoration Act of 2025 grants the Secretary of the Interior emergency contracting authority to expedite recovery efforts following the Dragon Bravo Fire within Grand Canyon National Park. This allows for faster hiring and purchasing necessary for forest restoration and rebuilding damaged structures. The Secretary must provide detailed, regular reports to Congress regarding spending, contractor information, and project status. This special authority automatically expires five years after enactment or upon completion of the recovery work.

The Enhancing Faith-Based Support for Veterans Act of 2025 allows VA chaplains, following a voluntary spiritual assessment, to share a veteran's contact information with a faith-based organization *only* if the veteran explicitly consents. This measure aims to enhance spiritual support options available to eligible veterans receiving VA medical care.

The Keep Air Travel Safe Act ensures the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) can continue all essential operations during a Congressional funding lapse. It allows the TSA Administrator to use unobligated prior-year funds to maintain activities at the previous year's spending rate. This temporary funding remains active until a new budget is passed or for a maximum of 180 days.

The One Citizen, One Seat Act mandates a revision of the 2020 census to count only U.S. citizens for state population totals. This new citizen-only count must then be used by states for all official purposes, including the distribution of federal grants. States must adopt this revised count within 60 days of receiving it to continue receiving federal funding.

The Break Free From Domestic Violence Act prohibits landlords from charging early lease termination fees for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking who are living in housing receiving federal assistance covered under VAWA. This allows survivors to voluntarily and immediately end their lease without financial penalty if they need to flee a dangerous situation.

The Better Care For Domestic Violence Survivors Act establishes a demonstration program to award competitive grants for specialized, trauma-informed training for healthcare providers who serve survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. These grants require collaboration between healthcare entities and victim service organizations to implement evidence-based practices. The program aims to improve victim identification, response, and coordination across community services, with mandatory evaluation and reporting to Congress.

This bill ensures the continued operation of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the event that Congress fails to pass necessary funding. It automatically appropriates funds to keep the FAA running for up to 30 days during a lapse in appropriations. This measure prevents an immediate shutdown of critical FAA functions while budget negotiations continue.

The TRUMP Act prohibits the President from using federal funds to create or issue new Executive Orders or Presidential Memoranda during any lapse in discretionary appropriations (a government shutdown). This measure aims to restrict executive action when Congress has failed to fund government operations.

The Securing Migration, Addressing Reform, and Talent Retention (SMART) Act overhauls the U.S. immigration system by eliminating the Diversity Visa Program and establishing a new points-based system for employment-based immigration. The bill also reforms family-sponsored immigration by redefining "immediate relatives" and creating a new non-working visa category for parents of adult citizens. Furthermore, it sets new annual caps for refugee admissions and reforms the allocation and release of H-1B specialty visas.

The Fair Social Security for Domestic Violence Survivors Act amends Social Security rules to support survivors of domestic violence. This bill lowers the required marriage duration from 10 years to 5 years for divorced spouses seeking benefits based on an abuser's record. To qualify for this reduced requirement, applicants must provide a court finding confirming they were a victim of domestic violence during the marriage. These changes will take effect 18 months after the Act is enacted.

The Rural Homeownership Continuity Act of 2025 allows current homeowners with Section 502 guaranteed loans to transfer their existing mortgage to a qualified new buyer upon selling their property. This provision releases the original borrower from all future liability for the loan upon successful assumption by the new owner. The Secretary is authorized to establish rules for these transfers, including potential fees for loan servicing.

The DOD Entrepreneurial Innovation Act establishes a formal process for designating promising technology projects within the Department of Defense as "Entrepreneurial Innovation Projects." This designation grants selected projects special visibility and integration into the annual defense planning and budgeting process. To facilitate this, each military department must create an advisory panel, including private-sector experts, to review and recommend projects that significantly boost national security capabilities.

The Fisheries Data Modernization and Accuracy Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve the reliability and utility of U.S. fisheries data. It mandates reforms to the recreational data collection program (MRIP) by establishing an independent review process when data accuracy falls below set standards. The bill also empowers states to develop and implement their own data collection programs, shifting the federal reliance away from the MRIP baseline. Finally, it requires the establishment of a regular schedule for updating crucial fish stock assessments and promotes the use of independent, external scientific surveys in federal management decisions.

The OPT Fair Tax Act amends tax law to specifically subject income earned by F-1 visa holders during Optional Practical Training (OPT) to Social Security and Medicare taxes. This change removes the current exemption for OPT employment, treating those earnings as standard employment for federal tax purposes.

The District of Columbia Clemency Home Rule Act grants the D.C. government the authority to establish its own process for granting clemency, such as pardons or sentence commutations, for crimes committed under D.C. law. This legislation allows the District to determine which local official or body will hold these powers. The Act preserves existing clemency authority held by the President or the Mayor until D.C. enacts its own specific law on the matter.

The Safe Transit Accountability Act clarifies the chain of command for public transit safety decisions by designating the agency's "accountable executive" as the final decision-maker. This executive will resolve disagreements within the Safety Committee and has ultimate responsibility for implementing safety and asset management plans. This ensures a single, clearly identified leader is accountable for transit safety outcomes.

The SNAP Back Act of 2025 amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to expand exemptions from SNAP work requirements. This bill adds individuals who are currently homeless, all veterans, and former foster youth (aged 24 or younger) to the list of those considered "disabled individuals" for SNAP purposes. This change aims to make these specific vulnerable populations eligible for SNAP benefits without meeting standard work activity rules.

The STREAMLINE Act modernizes federal regulations to empower Indian Tribes by requiring the Department of the Interior to accept tribal property appraisals for land transactions. This change applies when Tribes manage realty functions under self-governance agreements, aiming to streamline the fee-to-trust acquisition process. The law mandates tracking processing times to evaluate the impact of relying on Tribal valuations. Importantly, this Act does not alter existing environmental review or land title requirements.