Legislative Activity

The "Bureau of Land Management Mineral Spacing Act" amends the Mineral Leasing Act to streamline oil and gas activities on non-federal surface land where the U.S. owns less than 50% of subsurface mineral rights, by removing the need for a federal drilling permit if a state permit is submitted. This exemption aims to reduce federal oversight and expedite energy resource development, but does not apply to Indian lands or alter royalty obligations. The Secretary of the Interior retains authority for audits, inspections, and royalty collection.

The Natural GAS Act of 2025 amends energy policy by requiring the Energy Secretary to conduct comprehensive fuel cycle analyses before setting new energy efficiency standards for water heaters, furnaces, boilers, cooktops, ranges, and ovens. It also requires certification that new rules won't significantly push consumers from gas to electric appliances, and exempts small appliance manufacturers from these rules. The Act mandates clear labeling of energy efficiency information for consumers at the point of sale and ensures that new rules for kitchen appliances do not limit key features or functionality.

The "Stop CCP Land Act" aims to restrict states from receiving certain federal funds if they do not prohibit covered foreign countries, including those on the State Department's Defense Trade Control Country Policies List and Russia, from purchasing agricultural land. It mandates annual reporting for individuals from these countries who already own agricultural land and requires reports to Congress on improving monitoring of foreign investment in agricultural land and assessing the Act's impact on national security. This act defines "agricultural land," "foreign person," and "covered program funds" to ensure clarity in implementation.

The "Stop Illegal Reentry Act" increases the penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after having been deported or removed. It raises the maximum prison sentence for general illegal reentry to five years. Repeat offenders or those with prior felony convictions could face up to 10 years, and aggravated felons or repeat re-entrants could face a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison.

The "Protecting Military Parental Leave Evaluations Act" ensures that members of the Armed Forces who take parental leave of more than 31 consecutive days are exempt from performance evaluations during that leave. It allows service members to utilize parental leave within two years of a child's birth, adoption, or placement without requiring a waiver. The Secretary of Defense is tasked with creating these regulations and reporting on their implementation to the Senate and House Armed Forces Committees.

The CHILD Act of 2025 increases the maximum contribution limits for dependent care assistance programs, helping families afford childcare. It raises the contribution limit from $5,000 to $10,000 for individuals (and from $2,500 to $5,000). The bill also includes a cost-of-living adjustment to account for inflation, ensuring the benefit keeps pace with rising childcare costs. These changes will be effective for calendar years after 2024.

The "Regulation Reduction Act of 2025" mandates that federal agencies repeal at least three existing regulations for every new regulation issued, ensuring that the cost of any new major regulation is offset by the cost savings from those repealed. Agency heads must also submit reports identifying costly, ineffective, or outdated regulations to Congress. This aims to reduce regulatory burdens and streamline government processes.

The SEC Act of 2025 prevents the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from mandating companies to disclose climate-related information unless it is significant for investors. This bill aims to limit the scope of required disclosures to only information deemed material to investment decisions.

This bill prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency from implementing changes to single-family pricing framework announced on January 19, 2023. This includes updates from the Federal National Mortgage Association and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. The bill ensures that the announced changes, Lender Letter LL202301, and Bulletin 2023-1 will not be enforced.

The SAVE Act prohibits the Secretary of Energy from selling petroleum from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to any entity headquartered in countries subject to certain export restrictions or in Russia. It amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to include this prohibition.