Legislative Activity

The Business Owners Protection Act of 2025 aims to streamline regulations affecting businesses by repealing certain unused authorities related to mandatory predispute arbitration and fiduciary duties. This bill modifies the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) authority under existing securities laws. Ultimately, the Act removes specific regulatory mandates concerning arbitration and standards of conduct.

The Protecting American Research and Talent Act prohibits the use of federal funds for fundamental research collaborations between U.S. universities and designated "covered entities." Agencies may grant exceptions only if necessary for U.S. national security and if the university meets strict international student enrollment criteria. The bill also mandates annual reporting to Congress detailing compliance and any granted waivers.

The Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act of 2025 urges the Chinese government to enhance controls over precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production through cooperation, stricter shipping rules, and "know-your-customer" requirements. The bill also expands the definition of a "foreign opioid trafficker" under existing sanctions law to specifically target certain Chinese entities and officials who facilitate or fail to stop illicit opioid trafficking. Furthermore, it imposes new reporting and regulatory standards on the President when using emergency economic powers related to international drug trafficking. Finally, the Act explicitly prohibits using the sanctions authorized by this law to block the importation of general goods.

This bill seeks to establish the principles of fair banking outlined in Executive Order 14331 as permanent federal law. By codifying the order, it ensures that the requirements for guaranteeing fair banking practices for all Americans are permanently enshrined in the U.S. Code. This action transitions the executive directive into enduring statutory law.

The Coal Ash for American Infrastructure Act allows owners of coal ash storage facilities to temporarily designate their sites as "beneficial use staging units" to set aside ash for reuse in infrastructure projects. To qualify, units must meet strict technical standards, including proper lining and groundwater monitoring. Operators must adhere to mandatory removal schedules for beneficial use, and compliant staging units are protected from conflicting state closure requirements. The EPA will track and report annually on the amount of coal ash stored and removed under this designation.

The Strategic Resources Non-discrimination Act places specific limits on the President's authority under the Defense Production Act concerning domestic energy supplies. This bill prevents the President from using certain energy-related powers solely for environmental protection purposes. Furthermore, it prohibits denying financial support under the Act to companies involved with fossil fuels, provided the support is not directly for energy production.

The Rare Earth Solutions and Carbon Utilization Enhancement Act of 2025 (RESCUE Act) streamlines the permitting process for projects recovering critical materials from sources like mine waste and coal byproducts. This amendment expands eligibility under the FAST Act's expedited review to include the extraction of rare earth elements and specific forms of carbon from these secondary sources. The goal is to accelerate the development of domestic supplies of these vital resources.

The WAGER Act of 2025 simplifies the statutory language regarding the deduction of gambling losses for federal tax purposes. This amendment clarifies the existing rule that limits the deduction of gambling losses to the amount of gambling winnings. This change will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The Small Business Investor Capital Access Act updates the threshold for certain private fund investment advisers to qualify for an exemption from registration with the SEC. This bill immediately raises the asset management threshold from $\$150$ million to $\$175$ million. Furthermore, it mandates that the SEC automatically adjust this threshold every five years based on inflation.

The White Oak Resilience Act establishes a multi-agency effort to restore and conserve white oak populations across the United States. It creates the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition to coordinate federal, state, and private restoration efforts and recommend policy changes. The bill also mandates pilot projects by the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior, alongside a national plan to address tree nursery shortages and boost white oak research.

The Defend Girls Athletics Act mandates that elementary, secondary, and higher education institutions must certify compliance with Executive Order 14201 regarding biological fairness in women's sports to receive federal funding. This certification must be renewed annually for K-12 districts and by July 1st for colleges and universities. Failure to comply or report results in the immediate requirement to return unobligated federal funds and ineligibility for future federal financial assistance until compliance is restored.

This proposed constitutional amendment seeks to modify the definition of birthright citizenship by requiring that at least one parent be a U.S. national or a lawfully present permanent resident/service member for a child born in the U.S. to be subject to U.S. jurisdiction. It grants Congress the authority to implement this new standard. The amendment requires ratification by three-fourths of the states within seven years to take effect.

The Bank Failure Prevention Act of 2025 establishes strict, accelerated timelines for federal agencies reviewing applications for bank mergers and holding company changes. This legislation mandates that agencies must either approve or deny applications within 90 days of submission, or the application is automatically approved. The goal is to streamline the regulatory process by imposing clear deadlines for completeness checks and final decisions.

The Financial Institution Regulatory Tailoring Enhancement Act significantly raises key asset thresholds across several major financial regulations from $\$10$ billion to $\$50$ billion. This change reduces the scope of supervision by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) for many large financial institutions. Furthermore, it adjusts the applicability of the Volker Rule, qualified mortgage definitions, and certain capital requirements.

The Financial Integrity and Regulation Management (FIRM) Act prohibits federal banking agencies from using "reputational risk" as a factor in supervising, examining, or rating financial institutions. This legislation aims to ensure that bank oversight focuses strictly on financial safety and soundness, rather than public perception or political considerations. Agencies must remove all references to reputational risk from their guidance and report back to Congress on their compliance within 180 days.

The RACE Act of 2025 streamlines the process for companies to offer new, substantially similar securities by allowing for automatic qualification if certain conditions are met. This provision applies to offerings under a specific exemption of the Securities Act of 1933, provided the new offering does not exceed a $5 million threshold. The goal is to expedite capital raising for closely related securities issuances.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire approximately 132 acres of land to expand the boundaries of the Camp Nelson National Monument. Additionally, it officially changes the monument's name by removing the word "Heritage" from its title across all federal documents. This ensures the monument is consistently referred to as the Camp Nelson National Monument.

This resolution expresses the official position of Congress, stating its support for the President's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement. The bill specifically references the climate accord adopted in Paris in December 2015.

The NATO Burden Sharing Enforcement Act allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to discontinue granting visas to nationals of NATO countries that do not spend at least 2% of their GDP on national defense. This amends the Immigration and Nationality Act, potentially impacting visa availability for citizens of NATO member states not meeting defense spending obligations.

The Middle Class Savings Act updates the income thresholds for capital gains tax brackets to align with current income tax bracket breakpoints. This adjustment effectively raises the income levels required to trigger higher capital gains tax rates. These changes are designed to benefit middle-class taxpayers and will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.