Legislation

The CASE LOAD Act of 2025 aims to address the heavy caseloads in the Eastern District of California's Federal Court by authorizing the appointment of five additional district judges over the next six years, subject to Senate approval. This act acknowledges the disproportionately high ratio of residents to judges in the Eastern District, which results in a substantial number of pending cases per judgeship. The Act also authorizes the appropriation of funds to support these new judicial positions, including providing adequate facilities and space.

The Affordable College Textbook Act aims to lower the cost of college textbooks for students by expanding the use of open educational resources and increasing transparency in textbook pricing. The bill authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to higher education institutions to create and expand the use of open textbooks. It also requires colleges and universities to disclose textbook price information, including whether materials are open educational resources, on online course schedules. Additionally, the bill directs the Comptroller General to report on textbook costs and the impact of open textbooks.

The "Undertaking Negotiations on Investment and Trade for Economic Dynamism Act" or the "UNITED Act," aims to enhance the economic relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom through a comprehensive trade agreement. It grants the President the authority to negotiate such an agreement, targeting tariff and non-tariff barriers, while ensuring consultation with Congress throughout the negotiation process. The Act sets a deadline for initiating negotiations and specifies that any agreement cannot be waived, suspended, or terminated without congressional approval, emphasizing adherence to trade priorities and accountability.

The Public Health Funding Restoration Act aims to restore funding to the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which supports various public health programs. By amending the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the bill allocates $2,000,000,000 annually, starting in fiscal year 2026, to bolster initiatives focused on disease prevention, mental health, and immunization efforts. This restoration seeks to enhance public health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and improve the nation's ability to prevent and respond to future health crises.

The Safe Schools Improvement Act aims to reduce bullying and harassment in schools by requiring states to establish policies prohibiting such conduct based on various characteristics, including race, sex, religion, and disability. It mandates annual notifications, data collection on incidents, biennial evaluations of programs, and regular reports to Congress to ensure accountability and effectiveness. This act does not infringe on existing nondiscrimination laws or freedom of speech but seeks to create a safer, more inclusive learning environment for all students.

The CRUDE Act amends existing legislation to change the conditions under which crude oil exports can be restricted. It requires a joint report from the Secretaries of Defense, Energy, and Commerce to the President and Congress demonstrating that crude oil exports have caused sustained supply shortages, price increases, and adverse employment effects in the U.S. Only after this report and a presidential declaration of a national emergency can export restrictions be triggered.

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study on the feasibility of establishing the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York City. The study will assess the museum's potential to serve as a memorial, examine African cultural traditions, explore the institution of slavery, and promote collaboration among institutions. It will also evaluate the availability of suitable collections, the potential for understanding the international slave trade, and the level of public and local support for the museum. The Secretary must submit a report to Congress detailing the study's findings, including costs and recommendations, within three years of funding availability.

The Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act modifies the Department of Veterans Affairs' transportation grant program by including county and tribal organizations as eligible grant recipients. The bill sets the maximum grant amount to $60,000, but allows it to increase to $80,000 if a vehicle purchase is required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. It defines "rural" and "highly rural" using the Department of Agriculture's Rural-Urban Commuting Areas (RUCA) coding system and authorizes such sums as may be necessary.

The Child Care Availability and Affordability Act aims to improve access to affordable child care by expanding employer-provided child care credits, increasing tax-free dependent care assistance, and creating a refundable household and dependent care tax credit. The employer provided child care credit is increased from 25% to 50% of qualified expenses, and the maximum credit amount is raised from $150,000 to $500,000. The amount of tax-free employer-provided dependent care assistance is increased from $5,000 to $7,500. A new tax credit is created for employment-related expenses paid for household and dependent care, with the applicable percentage starting at 50% and decreasing based on income, and the maximum creditable expenses are $5,000 for one qualifying individual and $8,000 for two or more.

The Disaster Management Costs Modernization Act allows the President to redirect excess funds from disaster relief grants towards preparedness and mitigation activities. These excess funds, defined as the difference between the allocated and actual spending on management costs, can be used to enhance disaster resilience and cover management expenses related to disaster preparedness. The bill mandates a report to Congress on the adequacy of current management cost allocations based on recent disaster experiences. This act aims to optimize the use of disaster relief funds and improve community resilience.

The "Farm and Food Cybersecurity Act of 2025" directs the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct biennial risk assessments of cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities within the agriculture and food critical infrastructure sector, in coordination with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. It also mandates annual crisis simulation exercises for five years to evaluate and improve the preparedness of government and private sectors in responding to food-related emergencies and cyberattacks. The Act aims to enhance cybersecurity and resilience in the agriculture and food sector, protect food safety, and ensure national security. It authorizes \$1,000,000 to be appropriated for each fiscal year from 2026 through 2030 to carry out these activities.

The "Expanding Local Meat Processing Act of 2025" aims to ease restrictions on smaller meat packers by allowing them to have ownership interests in market agencies, under certain conditions. It directs the Secretary of Agriculture to revise regulations to exempt packers slaughtering below specified daily/annual livestock numbers. Market agencies must disclose relationships with packers to ensure transparency. The Act does not reduce the Secretary's broader regulatory authority under the Packers and Stockyards Act.

The Justice for ALS Veterans Act of 2025 ensures that surviving spouses of veterans who die from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) receive increased dependency and indemnity compensation. This benefit is provided regardless of how long the veteran had ALS before passing away. The Act applies retroactively to veterans who died from ALS on or after October 1, 2022.

The HELD Act aims to ensure cooperation between state and local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. It withholds federal funding from states and local governments that prevent their law enforcement agencies from sharing information with or honoring detainer requests from the Department of Homeland Security regarding immigrants in custody. The goal is to facilitate the transfer of custody of these immigrants to federal authorities for potential detention or removal proceedings. The Act also allows subdivisions of a state to apply for direct funding if the state is not eligible.

The "Upholding a Secure Postal System Act" mandates the Comptroller General to produce annual reports for five years on mail theft, delays, employee misconduct, and property crimes within the Postal Service. These reports will assess the Postal Service's strategies to combat these issues and provide recommendations for enhancements from both the Postal Service and Congress. The goal of the act is to improve the security and reliability of the postal system.

The "United States Legal Gold and Mining Partnership Act" aims to combat illicit gold mining in the Western Hemisphere by developing a comprehensive strategy to disrupt connections between illegal actors and artisanal mining, counter illicit financing, and build law enforcement capacity. It requires the Secretary of State to create a multi-year plan, brief Congress on Venezuelan illicit gold activities, and conduct international financial investigations. The act also promotes responsible gold mining practices through public-private partnerships and authorizes appropriations to support the implementation of the strategy.

The African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center Act facilitates the establishment of a museum at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York City. This museum will serve as a memorial and educational center dedicated to those enslaved and buried at the site, as well as other enslaved Africans and African Americans. The Act outlines the acquisition of property, the planning, design, and construction of the museum, and its operation in collaboration with the National Park Service and other entities. It also establishes an Advisory Council to guide the museum's development and administration.

The "End Congressional Stock Trading Act" prohibits Members of Congress, their spouses, and dependent children from owning or trading stocks, bonds, commodities, futures, and other securities, with certain exceptions like diversified investment funds and U.S. Treasury securities. Current and new members, along with their families, must divest prohibited assets within specified timeframes, with extended periods for complex investments. Violators may face civil penalties up to $100,000 per violation, and the bill allows for deferred capital gains taxes on required asset sales reinvested in permissible assets.

The Colorado Outdoor Recreation and Economy Act focuses on land conservation and management in Colorado. It expands wilderness areas, protects wildlife corridors, and addresses land use issues within the White River National Forest, Rocky Mountain National Park, and the San Juan Mountains region. The bill also withdraws the Thompson Divide area from mineral and geothermal leasing while establishing the Curecanti National Recreation Area. This legislation aims to balance wilderness preservation, recreational use, wildlife protection, and responsible energy development, while also safeguarding existing land uses and tribal rights.

The "Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act of 2025" postpones tax deadlines and waives penalties for U.S. nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, including their spouses, by disregarding the period of detention when determining tax liabilities. It requires the Secretary of State and the Attorney General to identify affected individuals and inform the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary of the Treasury will establish a program for eligible individuals to apply for a refund or abatement of penalties and fines related to the "applicable period" from January 1, 2021, to the date this law is enacted. This ensures that those who have been held hostage or wrongfully detained are not penalized for their inability to meet tax obligations during their captivity.