Legislative Activity

The SAFE Orbit Act establishes the framework for the Department of Commerce to manage civil space situational awareness and space traffic coordination. This involves gathering and publicly sharing unclassified data on objects in orbit while providing basic services for free. The bill also elevates the existing Office of Space Commerce into a new, directly reporting Bureau led by a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary. Finally, it grants liability protection to government entities and contractors involved in providing or receiving this space traffic information.

The Setting Consumer Standards for Lithium-Ion Batteries Act mandates that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adopt specific industry standards as mandatory safety rules for lithium-ion batteries in personal electric transportation within 180 days of enactment. These rules will automatically update when the underlying industry standards are revised, unless the CPSC determines the update does not improve safety. The CPSC must also report to Congress five years after enactment regarding battery-related incidents involving these consumer products.

The BITCOIN Act of 2025 establishes a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and mandates the U.S. government to purchase one million Bitcoins over five years to strengthen national financial standing. This legislation outlines strict security protocols for the reserve, requires public proof of holdings through cryptographic attestations, and protects private Bitcoin ownership rights. Furthermore, the Act details funding mechanisms, including adjustments to Federal Reserve surplus funds and gold certificate exchanges, to finance these acquisitions.

This bill amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to establish a uniform 8-digit subheading number for all imported whiskies. It streamlines the classification structure within Chapter 22 of the tariff schedule for duty purposes. The changes also require the USITC to add new statistical codes to better track different types of imported whiskies.

The Space National Guard Establishment Act of 2025 immediately creates the Space National Guard as the reserve component of the U.S. Space Force, initially drawing personnel from existing National Guard space units across seven states. This Act mandates that the new Guard utilize existing infrastructure and requires regular reporting to Congress on its implementation and operations. The legislation also makes conforming amendments across federal law to formally define and integrate the Space National Guard into the military structure.

The "Ensuring Pathways to Innovative Cures Act of 2025" modifies the Drug Price Negotiation Program by adjusting the negotiation timeline for drug prices. For 2026 and 2027, negotiation can begin 7 years post-approval. Starting in 2028, this period extends to 11 years post-approval.

This joint resolution seeks to exercise congressional disapproval of the IRS rule regarding "Gross Proceeds Reporting by Brokers That Regularly Provide Services Effectuating Digital Asset Sales." If passed, the resolution would nullify the rule, ensuring it has no force or effect.

The "Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025" amends Title IX to prohibit schools receiving federal funding from allowing individuals born male to participate in female athletic programs. Sex is defined as determined by reproductive biology and genetics at birth. This bill aims to ensure fair competition for women and girls in sports.

The HIDTA Enhancement Act reauthorizes funding for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs) through 2030, mandating specific reporting on fentanyl trafficking and associated challenges. It increases funding for the Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center to support law enforcement efforts against fentanyl and directs the Attorney General to prioritize fentanyl trafficking prosecutions by providing additional resources. The bill allocates $333,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2030 for HIDTAs.

The Book Minimum Tax Repeal Act completely eliminates the corporate alternative minimum tax (AMT) for corporations, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024. For non-corporate taxpayers, the bill updates the tentative minimum tax calculation with new tiered tax rates of 26% and 28%. This legislation also makes necessary technical adjustments across the Internal Revenue Code to remove references to the repealed corporate AMT structure.

The Guarding Readiness Resources Act ensures that funds reimbursed to the National Guard Bureau by states or territories are directly returned to the specific budget account that covered the initial expense. These returned funds are strictly limited to being used for the repair, maintenance, or replacement of the military assets involved. This guarantees that reimbursement money directly supports the readiness of the equipment used by the National Guard.

The "Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act" streamlines the Medicaid and CHIP enrollment process for out-of-state providers, allowing them to furnish services to individuals under 21 more efficiently. By reducing excessive screening and enrollment requirements, the bill aims to improve access to care for children. Enrolled providers will have a 5-year enrollment period, and the changes will take effect three years after enactment.

The "Dangerous Viral Gain of Function Research Moratorium Act" prohibits federal research grants to higher education institutions or research institutes that conduct gain-of-function research on certain organisms. Gain-of-function research is defined as research that genetically alters an organism to change or enhance its biological functions, potentially increasing infectivity, transmissibility, or pathogenicity. This prohibition extends to research that could pose a threat to national security, public safety, or the health of humans, animals, or livestock. The specified organisms include influenza viruses, coronaviruses, agents or toxins on the Select Agents and Toxins List, or any synthetic construct of such.

This joint resolution exercises congressional authority to disapprove the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule regarding "National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Rubber Tire Manufacturing." If passed, this measure would nullify the rule, rendering it without force or effect.

The "CATCH Fentanyl Act" mandates pilot projects to evaluate advanced technologies, including AI, for detecting contraband, illegal drugs, weapons, and human smuggling at U.S. land ports of entry. These projects aim to enhance inspection efficiency, reduce wait times, and improve existing detection equipment. The Act requires reports to Congress on the effectiveness, impacts on privacy and civil liberties, and recommendations for implementing new technologies, while forbidding new funding appropriations.

The "No American Land for Communist China Act" aims to safeguard U.S. national security by preventing Chinese government entities and businesses with significant Chinese government ownership from purchasing real estate near sensitive federal lands, including those managed by the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture, and Energy, as well as Indian country. The President is tasked with enforcing this prohibition.

The "Broadband Buildout Accountability Act" shields the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), with a specific exception for 5 U.S. Code § 552, to balance transparency and program efficiency.

The "Federal Prisons Accountability Act of 2025" changes the appointment process for the Director of the Bureau of Prisons. Going forward, the President will appoint the Director with Senate approval, similar to other high-ranking officials in the Department of Justice, for a single 10-year term. The Director will report directly to the Attorney General.

The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act enhances U.S. trade laws to counteract unfair trade practices by foreign countries. It strengthens the ability of the International Trade Commission to address successive instances of unfair trade, expands countervailing duty authority, and prevents duty evasion. The Act also counters currency undervaluation and sets clear guidelines for implementation and applicability.

This resolution designates March 7, 2025, as "National Speech and Debate Education Day" to celebrate the lifelong benefits of speech and debate training. It highlights how these programs foster essential skills like critical thinking, communication, and collaboration while recognizing the dedication of educators in preparing students for civic and professional success.