Legislative Activity

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act aims to improve support for individuals diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. This bill eliminates the standard waiting period for receiving Social Security disability insurance benefits and waives the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage. These changes ensure immediate access to crucial financial and healthcare support upon diagnosis.

The POWER Act restricts the Secretary of the Army from breaching federally operated dams if doing so negatively impacts carbon emissions, navigation, product prices, or land use acreage. Furthermore, the bill prohibits the retirement of federally owned hydropower sources if it significantly increases electricity rates or decreases energy reliability in several Western states. Any retired generation source must have its baseload power replaced within 30 days.

The Productive Public Lands Act mandates the Secretary of the Interior to promptly reissue nine specific Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land management plans finalized between late 2024 and early 2025. This reissuance requires the BLM to formally update its preferred alternative for each plan. Crucially, these reissued documents are automatically deemed compliant with major environmental review and administrative procedure laws, bypassing further environmental analysis.

The FARMLAND Act of 2025 aims to protect U.S. agriculture and national security by modernizing and enforcing laws against malign foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land and businesses, particularly from countries of concern. It increases penalties for non-compliance with reporting requirements, mandates detailed reports on foreign land ownership and potential threats, and enhances the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) authority to review real estate transactions involving foreign entities. The act also directs the creation of a comprehensive database of foreign-owned agricultural land and prohibits foreign individuals/entities from participating in Farm Service Agency programs. Finally, the act authorizes appropriations for secure workspace construction, database development, and other activities related to enforcing the act.

The TAP Promotion Act mandates a standardized, one-hour presentation on available VA benefits during mandatory preseparation counseling for service members. This presentation must be developed and approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in consultation with recognized Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs). The goal is to ensure separating service members are fully informed of their entitlements and how VSOs can assist with filing claims.

This bill aims to enhance security along the southern border by constructing roads, increasing access for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and allowing temporary placement of structures by border states. It also seeks to mitigate environmental damage on federal lands caused by illegal activities through initiatives focused on reducing trash, preventing wildfires, and remediating contamination. Additionally, the bill restricts housing options for non-citizens who have not been formally admitted into the country by preventing the use of federal funds to house these individuals on federally managed lands.

This bill nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The rule targeted new, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuel-fired electric generating units. It also set emission guidelines and repealed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule.

The "Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2025" freezes the wage rate for H-2A nonimmigrant workers at the level it was on December 31, 2023, through December 31, 2026. Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of Labor to use a primary duties evaluation when deciding the required wage for employees who perform multiple duties or tasks.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.

The "No American Land for Communist China Act" prohibits the President from allowing individuals or entities associated with the Chinese government from purchasing real estate near covered federal lands. Covered lands include those managed by the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture (Forest Service), and Energy, as well as Indian country. This restriction applies to entities with at least 25% equity interest held by Chinese government-affiliated individuals or businesses. The Act defines "United States" broadly to include states, territories, and other U.S. possessions.

The "Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act" or the "REPAIR Act" ensures vehicle owners and independent repair shops have access to necessary vehicle data, repair information, and tools, preventing manufacturers from creating barriers to repairs. It establishes an advisory committee to address competition issues in the auto repair industry and mandates that car buyers are informed of their rights to choose repair options. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is empowered to enforce the Act, protecting consumers from unfair restrictions on vehicle repair and ensuring control over their vehicle data.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to equalize the negotiation period for drug price negotiations under the Drug Price Negotiation Program. It changes the negotiation period for small-molecule drugs from 7 years to 11 years, matching the period already in place for biologic drugs. This adjustment aims to create parity in negotiation timelines between different types of medications, effective as if included in the original legislation.

The "Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025" extends the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, providing continued financial support to states and counties with federal lands through 2026. It extends secure payments, distribution of payments, and the authority for special projects on federal land. Additionally, it extends the Resource Advisory Committee pilot program and makes several technical corrections to the original Act.

The Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act prevents Congress from imposing new performance fees on local radio stations for playing music. It emphasizes the mutually beneficial relationship between broadcasters and the recording industry, where radio provides free publicity that boosts music sales and supports artists. The act recognizes local radio's crucial role in communities by providing news, weather updates, and public service announcements. Ultimately, this bill aims to protect local radio stations and businesses from economic harm, ensuring they can continue serving their communities without additional financial burdens.

The "Protect America's Lands Act" prevents national securities exchanges from handling transactions of securities issued by "natural asset companies." These companies manage land for conservation and aim to enhance the value of natural assets and ecosystem services. The bill defines specific criteria for what constitutes a "natural asset company" to ensure the prohibition is appropriately applied.

The Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino Act authorizes the creation of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino on the National Mall. It ensures the museum's exhibits and programs accurately represent the diverse cultures, histories, events, and values of Hispanic and Latino communities, seeking guidance from diverse sources. The Act also mandates regular reports to Congress on the museum's efforts to meet these diversity requirements.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 expands milk options available to students in the National School Lunch Program by allowing schools to offer organic or non-organic whole milk. This legislation provides greater flexibility for schools in providing fluid milk choices while maintaining accommodations for students with special dietary needs. Importantly, the saturated fat content of these offered milk options will not count toward the meal's overall saturated fat limits.

The "Grazing for Wildfire Risk Reduction Act" aims to reduce wildfire risks by directing the Secretary of Agriculture to expand the use of livestock grazing on Forest Service land. The plan includes strategies such as expediting environmental reviews for grazing permits, employing targeted grazing, and increasing the use of temporary permits for fuels reduction and invasive species control. It also promotes grazing as a post-fire recovery tool and utilizes all available legal authorities to achieve these goals.

The "Alternatives to PAIN Act" amends Medicare Part D to improve access to non-opioid pain management drugs by waiving deductibles and ensuring they are placed on the lowest cost-sharing tier starting in 2026. The Act also prohibits the use of step therapy and prior authorization requirements for these drugs, further easing access for patients. These changes aim to provide more accessible alternatives for pain management, reducing reliance on opioids.

The "Combating Illicit Xylazine Act" aims to combat the illegal use of xylazine by adding it to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, which would allow for increased regulation and tracking of the substance. The bill includes exemptions and delayed effective dates for certain requirements to ease the transition for legitimate users, such as veterinarians and animal handlers. It also directs the Sentencing Commission to review sentencing guidelines for xylazine-related offenses and mandates reports to Congress on the prevalence and impact of illicit xylazine use. Finally, it will include xylazine in Arcos tracking.