Legislative Activity

The "Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act" expands Medicare coverage to include innovative multi-cancer early detection screening tests starting in 2028. These tests, which use genomic sequencing to detect multiple cancer types, will be covered for eligible beneficiaries with age and frequency limitations. The payment amount for these tests will initially align with that of multi-target stool screening DNA tests. This new coverage aims to improve early cancer detection without affecting existing Medicare-covered cancer screenings.

This resolution designates the week beginning February 3, 2025, as "National Tribal Colleges and Universities Week," recognizing the vital role of TCUs in providing culturally relevant education to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and other students. TCUs serve over 230 federally recognized Indian Tribes by offering high-quality postsecondary education and workforce preparation. The resolution encourages the public to participate in activities and programs that support these institutions.

The "Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025" introduces a federal tax credit for individuals and corporations who donate to scholarship granting organizations that provide educational scholarships to eligible elementary and secondary students. These scholarships can be used for tuition, books, tutoring, and other qualified education expenses. The bill sets a volume cap on the total amount of donations eligible for the tax credit and includes provisions to prevent government control over scholarship organizations and non-public schools. It also exempts these scholarship amounts from gross income.

The "Defund the CFPB Act" amends the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to eliminate the funding available to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, effectively defunding the agency. This would be achieved by capping the amount the Director of the Bureau may request to fund the Bureau's activities to $0.

The Laken Riley Act mandates the detention of illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting. It empowers state attorneys general to sue the Department of Homeland Security or the Secretary of State if they believe the state or its residents are harmed by violations of immigration enforcement or visa granting. The bill aims to ensure that these aliens are detained throughout their removal proceedings and to provide states with legal recourse against perceived failures in federal immigration enforcement.

The WALL Act of 2025 allocates $25 billion for constructing a physical barrier on the southern border. It offsets this spending by tightening eligibility requirements for tax credits like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit, requiring E-Verify for federal benefits and housing programs, and increasing fines for illegal entry and visa overstays.

The Grizzly Bear State Management Act of 2025 instructs the Secretary of the Interior to reissue a final rule delisting the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem population of grizzly bears from the list of endangered and threatened wildlife, as previously published in the Federal Register. This reissuance must occur within 180 days of the Act's enactment and bypasses standard regulatory considerations and judicial review.

This resolution celebrates the centennial anniversary of Nellie Tayloe Ross's historic election as the first female governor in the United States. It recognizes her significant contributions to Wyoming and her lasting impact as an inspiration for women in leadership and politics. The resolution encourages citizens to commemorate January 2025 in honor of her pioneering legacy.

The "Promoting Domestic Energy Production Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to change how intangible drilling and development costs are calculated for adjusted financial statement income, specifically regarding depreciation and depletion expenses. It allows companies to deduct these costs, aligning financial statement income calculations more closely with taxable income calculations. These changes apply to taxable years starting after December 31, 2025.

The "Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act" affirms that parents have a fundamental right to direct the upbringing, education, and healthcare of their children. It restricts government interference in these rights, requiring a compelling governmental interest and the least restrictive means when such interference occurs, while also ensuring parents can seek legal remedies if their rights are violated. The Act also ensures attorney's fees can be awarded in cases under this act, similar to other civil rights cases. This law applies to all federal laws, both past and future, unless explicitly excluded.

The "Main Street Tax Certainty Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the deduction for qualified business income permanent. This is achieved by eliminating the expiration date for this deduction. This change provides long-term tax certainty for small businesses.

The ALIGN Act makes full expensing permanent for qualified property placed in service after September 27, 2017, by amending Section 168(k) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. It also removes outdated clauses and updates references within Section 168(k) and amends Section 460(c)(6)(B) to clarify its application to property with a recovery period of 7 years or less. These changes are retroactive, as if included in Public Law 115-97.

The "Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act" ensures that infants born alive after an abortion receive the same medical care as any other newborn, mandating immediate hospital transport and requiring healthcare practitioners to report any failures to comply. Violators face fines, imprisonment, and potential prosecution for homicide or attempted homicide, while the mother of the child is protected from prosecution. The bill also allows the woman on whom the abortion was performed to file a civil action against anyone who violated the requirements if a child was born alive.

The Northwest Energy Security Act directs the Secretaries of Interior, Energy, and Army to manage the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) according to the guidelines in the Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision, dated September 2020. It also establishes a process by which the Secretaries can make changes to the operation of the FCRPS. Finally, the bill prohibits actions that would reduce electricity production at FCRPS dams or limit navigation on the Snake River without explicit congressional approval.

The "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2025" seeks to prohibit the use of federal funds for abortions and for health benefits coverage that includes abortion coverage, with exceptions for rape, incest, or to save the life of the mother. It clarifies that premium credits and cost-sharing reductions under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) cannot be used for health plans that include abortion coverage, allowing for separate purchase of abortion coverage without federal tax credits. The Act also requires health plans to transparently disclose the extent of abortion coverage and any related premium surcharges to enrollees.

The Wildland Firefighter Paycheck Protection Act of 2025 establishes special base rates of pay for federal wildland firefighters, increasing their salaries based on their General Schedule grade. It also provides incident response premium pay for firefighters deployed to qualifying incidents and allows for rest and recuperation leave following deployments. The bill enables the transfer of funds between the Forest Service and the Department of Interior to ensure the continuation of salary increases.

The "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act" (SAVE Act) aims to ensure that only U.S. citizens register to vote in federal elections by requiring documentary proof of citizenship during voter registration. It amends the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 to include citizenship verification and mandates states to verify citizenship using various databases and federal information. The Act also establishes penalties for registering non-citizens and provides guidance for states to implement these changes.

The Natural Gas Tax Repeal Act repeals section 136 of the Clean Air Act, which likely taxes natural gas. Additionally, any funds that were previously allocated under the repealed section are rescinded, meaning they are no longer available for their original purpose.

The "Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act" authorizes the creation of three Congressional Gold Medals to honor the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team and their historic "Miracle on Ice" victory. These medals will be given to the Lake Placid Olympic Center, the United States Hockey Hall of Fame Museum, and the United States Olympic Paralympic Museum for public display. The Act also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates to fund the medal production.

The FAIR PREP Act of 2025 prohibits the IRS from preparing tax returns or offering free direct e-file tax return systems, with exceptions for existing programs like the IRS Free File Program. It restricts the Treasury Secretary from funding or developing electronic tax preparation services without explicit congressional authorization. This act aims to limit the IRS's role in tax preparation, ensuring reliance on existing programs and preventing unauthorized expansion into new services. The changes apply to returns filed more than 30 days after the law is enacted.