Legislative Activity

The Armed Forces Pay Act of 2025 ensures continued funding for the pay and allowances of members of the Armed Forces and certain civilian intelligence employees through fiscal year 2026, should full appropriations bills not be enacted. This temporary measure provides necessary financial continuity until regular appropriations legislation is passed or until September 30, 2026. The Act also authorizes intelligence-related funds for FY 2026 until the relevant Intelligence Authorization Act is signed into law.

This resolution officially designates the week of October 19 through 25, 2025, as "National Chemistry Week." The measure recognizes the vital role of chemistry in daily life and supports efforts to promote science education. It specifically aims to encourage young people, including underrepresented groups, to pursue STEM careers.

This resolution officially designates the week beginning October 12, 2025, as "National Wildlife Refuge Week." It recognizes the critical role of the National Wildlife Refuge System in conserving over 850 million acres of vital habitat for threatened and endangered species. The resolution also highlights the refuges' significant contributions to local economies, public recreation, and community access to nature. Ultimately, it reaffirms Congress's commitment to supporting the conservation mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Bankruptcy Administration Improvement Act of 2025 aims to modernize the bankruptcy system by increasing the compensation for Chapter 7 trustees to a level reflecting current economic realities. The bill also adjusts various bankruptcy fees to ensure the U.S. Trustee System remains fully funded without taxpayer assistance. Finally, it extends the terms of certain temporary bankruptcy judge offices to ensure continued judicial capacity.

The Global Fragility Reauthorization Act updates the existing strategy for addressing global instability by strengthening interagency coordination and policy alignment. It reauthorizes crucial funding mechanisms, including the Prevention and Stabilization Fund and the Complex Crises Fund, extending their authorization through 2030. The bill also refines the process for selecting priority countries and mandates enhanced reporting and evaluation of U.S. stabilization efforts abroad.

The Energy Savings and Weatherization Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends the critical Weatherization Assistance Program through 2030. This bill significantly increases the average cost limit for weatherizing low-income homes from $\$6,500$ to $\$15,000$ per unit. It also establishes clear standards for defining a "fully weatherized" home, requiring both recommended upgrades and a final quality control inspection.

This bill extends the legislative authority for the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish its commemorative work in the District of Columbia. Specifically, it revises a deadline within the original authorization, changing the relevant expiration or extension date tied to a seven-year period to November 3, 2032. This grants the Foundation additional time to complete the memorial establishment process.

The Military Learning for Credit Act of 2025 allows eligible veterans to use their existing educational assistance benefits to cover the costs of approved examinations, such as CLEP and DSST tests, to earn college credit. This benefit is capped at \$500 per exam and will count against the veteran's total educational entitlement time. Using these funds for testing will not affect any separate educational assistance received from the Department of Defense.

The Finding Opportunities for Resource Exploration Act, or Finding ORE Act, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into international agreements to map critical mineral and rare earth element resources. These agreements prioritize development opportunities for U.S. and allied companies while ensuring the security and reliability of vital supply chains. The Act also mandates data protection and encourages private investment in resource development processed within the U.S. or allied nations.

The ABC-ED Act of 2025 aims to improve emergency department efficiency by allowing public health grants to fund real-time hospital bed capacity tracking systems. It also mandates the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to pilot programs focused on enhancing emergency care for older adults and those in acute psychiatric crises. Finally, the bill directs a study on best practices for these capacity tracking systems and their impact on emergency wait times.

The Defending International Security by Restricting Unacceptable Partnerships and Tactics (DISRUPT) Act aims to counter the growing security threat posed by the deepening cooperation between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea. The bill mandates the creation of interagency task forces and detailed intelligence reports to analyze and disrupt this adversarial alignment across military, economic, and technological fronts. Ultimately, the policy seeks to constrain the global reach of these nations and enhance U.S. deterrence capabilities against simultaneous challenges.

The COUNTER Act of 2025 addresses the People's Republic of China's (PRC) growing global military logistics network, which Congress views as a threat to U.S. interests. The bill mandates that the Executive Branch develop and implement a comprehensive, whole-of-government strategy to counter the PRC's efforts to establish overseas military bases. This includes an intelligence assessment, identifying key risk locations, and establishing an interagency task force to coordinate proactive diplomatic and strategic responses with allies.

The Research Advancing to Market Production for Innovators Act aims to accelerate the commercialization of federally funded small business research. It achieves this by improving the review process for SBIR/STTR proposals to prioritize market potential, establishing Technology Commercialization Officials within agencies, and increasing flexibility and assistance options for award recipients. The bill also mandates comprehensive annual reporting to track the real-world impact and success of these innovations.

This resolution expresses strong Congressional support and appreciation for the Republic of Romania and the Republic of Moldova as they defend their democracies against malign Russian interference. It highlights their crucial roles as NATO and EU partners, respectively, and condemns ongoing Russian efforts to destabilize their upcoming elections. The bill urges the U.S. government and international partners to increase support for the sovereignty and election integrity of both nations.

The PREVAIL Act aims to strengthen the U.S. patent system to better protect American innovation and national security against foreign competition. It introduces significant procedural reforms to the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and patent review processes, including stricter conduct rules and limitations on duplicative legal challenges. Furthermore, the bill ensures that all fees collected by the USPTO are dedicated solely to its operations and expands fee reductions for academic and small business innovators.

The Safe and Secure Housing for Opioid Recovery and Enduring Stability Act of 2025 (Safe SHORES Act) reauthorizes and updates a vital pilot program to help individuals in opioid recovery secure stable housing. This legislation extends the program's duration through 2030, guarantees a minimum annual funding floor of $50 million, and allows funds to be used for essential furniture costs. Furthermore, it establishes new monitoring requirements and mandates detailed annual reporting to Congress on program effectiveness and resident outcomes.

The NO TIME TO Waste Act establishes a new Office of Food Loss and Waste within the USDA to coordinate efforts toward a national goal of cutting food waste by 50% by 2030. The bill creates new grant programs to improve food recovery infrastructure and fund public-private partnerships for waste reduction at the local level. It also mandates new federal contractor requirements for food donation and launches a national education campaign focused on consumer behavior and food labeling.

The NO FAKES Act of 2025 establishes exclusive property rights for individuals over the creation and use of their digital voice and visual likenesses (Digital Replicas). This federal law grants the right holder the authority to license or control the use of these replicas, both during the individual's life and for a set period after death. The Act outlines specific licensing rules, liability for unauthorized use in commerce, and safe harbor provisions for online services that comply with takedown notices based on digital fingerprinting.

This bill establishes the private, nonprofit Foundation for Standards and Metrology to support the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in advancing measurement science and technical standards. The Foundation will accelerate the commercialization of research by partnering with industry, academia, and other groups. It will be governed by an independent Board of Directors and must develop a plan for financial self-sustainability within five years.

The Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act of 2025 establishes federal programs to accelerate research, development, and deployment of low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt. The bill aims to slash greenhouse gas emissions from these critical building materials while boosting domestic manufacturing and supply chains. Key components include establishing research programs, creating specialized Manufacturing USA institutes, and providing financial incentives for states to adopt greener road materials. The Act also creates an Interagency Task Force to coordinate strategies for performance standards, workforce development, and market adoption of these innovative products.