Legislative Activity

The Train Crew Choice Act nullifies the Federal Railroad Administration's (FRA) final rule regarding train crew size safety requirements, which was published on April 9, 2024. This action effectively removes any legal mandate concerning the minimum number of crew members required on a train. The bill ensures that the previous standards, rather than the recently proposed rule, remain in effect.

The Freights First Act revises federal law regarding track-sharing priority between Amtrak passenger trains and freight trains. This bill removes the automatic preference for Amtrak when sharing tracks within 50 miles of a port or major rail yard. Consequently, freight trains may now take precedence over Amtrak in these busy, localized areas unless a genuine emergency exists.

The Federal Improvement in Technology Procurement (FIT) Act aims to modernize federal technology buying by significantly enhancing training for the acquisition workforce, especially in areas like cloud computing and AI. It streamlines purchasing by raising simplified acquisition and micro-purchase thresholds to allow for faster, smaller technology buys. Furthermore, the bill promotes greater competition by broadening what counts as relevant experience for contractors and requiring agencies to remove unnecessary hurdles for small businesses.

The Propane Accessibility and Regulatory Relief Act exempts large propane tanks, specifically those holding up to 126,000 pounds, from the security regulations under the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS). This measure aims to reduce regulatory burdens on facilities storing these specific quantities of propane. The Secretary of Homeland Security is required to implement this exemption promptly.

The Judicial Review Timeline Clarity Act establishes strict new rules for challenging water pollution permits issued under Section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. This legislation mandates that lawsuits challenging permits must be filed within 60 days of issuance and limits standing to those who raised specific objections during the public comment period. If a court finds an error, it will generally remand the issue for agency correction, only halting the permit if the activity poses an immediate and serious danger to health or the environment.

The Reliable Grid Act prioritizes the stability and dependability of the U.S. electric grid over environmental regulations that could force the premature retirement of essential power sources. It directs the EPA Administrator to halt the enforcement of recent rules affecting the power sector until reliability is confirmed, especially concerning dispatchable units like coal and natural gas plants. The bill mandates that new reliability standards must account for the intermittent nature of solar and wind power. Ultimately, this legislation seeks to prevent power shortages by ensuring reliable capacity remains online to meet current and future electricity demands.

The Guidance Clarity Act mandates that federal agencies must include a prominent "guidance clarity statement" on all new official guidance documents. This statement must explicitly inform the public that the guidance does not create new legally binding requirements. The purpose is to ensure that agency advice clearly explains existing laws and policies without asserting new legal authority.

The Paycheck Protection Act prohibits federal agencies and the U.S. Postal Service from deducting labor organization dues, fees, or political contributions from an employee's paycheck. This act amends existing sections of Title 5 and Title 39 of the United States Code to reflect these changes.

The "Ending the Cycle of Dependency Act of 2025" modifies work requirements for both the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and the Social Security Act. It raises the age limit for exemption from work requirements for SNAP benefits and mandates that certain Medicaid recipients between the ages of 19 and 59 must complete at least 80 hours of work, community service, or a work program per month to maintain eligibility. The bill outlines specific exemptions to these work requirements, including individuals with medical conditions, pregnant individuals, and caretakers of young children. States are allowed to disenroll individuals from Medicaid if they do not comply with the work requirements and federal funding is unavailable.

The "UNPLUG EVs Act" rescinds any unspent funds allocated for electric vehicle charging and fueling grants, as well as funds from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program. The recovered funds will be deposited into the Treasury's general fund and used to reduce the federal deficit.

The "Achieving Choice in Education Act" (ACE Act) expands the use of 529 savings accounts to cover a broader range of educational expenses, including homeschooling costs, and increases the distribution limit for elementary and secondary education. The act also raises the gift tax exclusion for 529 plan contributions and restricts tax-exempt bond eligibility to states that have implemented certain school choice programs meeting specific criteria for student eligibility and funding. These school choice programs include tax credit scholarship programs, voucher programs, education savings accounts, and refundable tax credits for private education expenses.

The "Life at Conception Act" declares that the right to life, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is vested in each human being, both born and preborn, from fertilization onward. This act defines "human being" as every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life. Notably, the act specifies that no woman shall be prosecuted for the death of her unborn child.

The "Repeal the NFA Act" aims to eliminate the National Firearms Act (NFA). This bill would remove all regulations, taxes, and registration requirements imposed by the NFA on certain firearms and devices. By repealing the NFA, the bill seeks to deregulate the ownership and transfer of items currently covered under the NFA.

The "Abolish the ATF Act" eliminates the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). This would effectively end the ATF's regulatory and enforcement powers over alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives.

This resolution rescinds subpoenas issued by the January 6th Select Committee to Stephen K. Bannon, Mark Randall Meadows, Daniel Scavino, Jr., and Peter K. Navarro, and withdraws the contempt of Congress recommendations against them. It deems the January 6th Select Committee illegitimate and its findings biased due to its partisan composition. The Speaker of the House is required to notify the Department of Justice that these subpoenas are rescinded and void.