Legislative Activity

The Reciprocity Ensures Streamlined Use of Lifesaving Treatments Act of 2025 establishes a new "reciprocal marketing approval" process for certain drugs, biological products, and devices already authorized in specified foreign countries or the United Kingdom. This allows for rapid approval if the product meets safety and effectiveness standards and addresses a U.S. public health need. The Secretary must act on requests within 30 days, subject to potential Congressional disapproval. This streamlined pathway aims to quickly bring proven, lifesaving treatments to the U.S. market.

This resolution strongly condemns the Chinese Communist Party's ongoing persecution of religious minority groups, including Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists. It specifically calls out the detention of Pastor "Ezra" Jin Mingri and leaders of the Zion Church. Furthermore, the measure reaffirms the United States' unwavering global commitment to promoting religious freedom and tolerance worldwide.

The Natural Gas Export Expansion Act aims to boost domestic natural gas development, job creation, and economic growth by streamlining the approval process for natural gas exports. This bill modifies existing law to generally allow exports to any nation not already excluded. Expedited approval is provided unless a nation is subject to U.S. sanctions or specifically excluded by the President or Congress for national security reasons.

The Keep America Flying Act of 2026 ensures that essential Air Traffic Controllers and TSA security personnel continue to receive pay and benefits at the start of fiscal year 2026, even if Congress has not yet passed a budget. This continuing appropriation provides necessary funding for FAA and TSA staff, as well as their contractors, to maintain safe and secure air travel operations. The funding automatically ceases once a full budget is enacted or on September 30, 2026.

The ROTOR Act aims to enhance aviation safety and transparency, primarily by reforming exceptions for government aircraft not using ADSB Out location tracking. It mandates the installation of ADSB In technology on new and certain existing aircraft and initiates studies regarding dynamic restricted airspace near Washington D.C. The bill also requires increased reporting on ADSB usage exceptions and mandates an Army Inspector General audit of flight operations in the National Capitol Region.

The Pipeline Integrity, Protection, and Enhancement for Leveraging Investments in the Nation's Energy to assure Safety Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill that reauthorizes and increases funding for federal pipeline safety programs through 2030. It modernizes safety regulations by incorporating new technologies, increasing civil penalties for violations, and strengthening whistleblower protections. Furthermore, the legislation mandates new studies on emerging gases like hydrogen, improves emergency response planning, and streamlines oversight processes to enhance accountability across the industry.

This bill mandates that the U.S. government permit visiting dignitaries and service members from Taiwan to display the flag of the Republic of China. This allowance applies specifically when they are conducting official business, such as during ceremonies or while in uniform. The change ensures that Taiwanese officials and military personnel can appropriately represent their nation during interactions with the Department of State and Department of Defense.

The Advancing Research in Nuclear Fuel Recycling Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of Energy to conduct a comprehensive study on the feasibility, costs, and risks of recycling spent nuclear fuel. This study must compare recycling methods against current practices and analyze the potential for creating new fuels for various domestic and international applications. The final report, due within one year, will detail findings and recommend necessary policy changes to advance recycling technologies.

The SEVER Act of 2025 amends existing law to grant the U.S. government the authority to deny entry visas to individuals designated as representatives to the United Nations. This denial power is specifically triggered if the individual is subject to sanctions under Executive Order 13876, as it stands on September 16, 2025. In essence, the bill strengthens visa enforcement by adding specific sanctions compliance as a mandatory ground for inadmissibility for UN representatives.

This act officially designates the historic paths of US Highway 66, spanning from Chicago to Santa Monica, as the Route 66 National Historic Trail within the National Trails System. The Secretary of the Interior will manage the trail while respecting its historic character and consulting with affected Indian Tribes. Importantly, this designation prohibits the use of eminent domain for land acquisition and does not impose new regulatory requirements or buffer zones around the route.

The Retirement Freedom Act grants individuals the option to actively decline their Medicare Part A coverage, even if they are otherwise qualified. This allows beneficiaries to delay enrollment without penalty if they choose to opt in later. Furthermore, opting out of Part A will not require individuals to forgo their Social Security retirement or disability benefits.

The Modernizing Access to Our Public Oceans Act aims to improve public access to ocean data by requiring the standardization and publication of geospatial information regarding fishing restrictions and recreational vessel use in the Exclusive Economic Zone. This legislation mandates the creation of a public, easily accessible online database detailing these ocean use rules and protected areas. The Act emphasizes coordination with state, Tribal, and non-federal partners while explicitly protecting existing agency authority and Tribal rights.

The SANDBOX Act establishes the Artificial Intelligence Regulatory Sandbox Program to encourage AI innovation by allowing companies to temporarily test new AI products under modified or waived government regulations. Participants must apply by detailing their testing plan, demonstrating consumer benefits, and outlining robust risk mitigation strategies for health, economic, and deceptive practices. The program aims to gather data on which regulations are necessary, allowing the Director of OSTP to recommend permanent rule changes to Congress after a two-year testing period.

The Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act of 2025 mandates U.S. sanctions against Nigerian officials who enforce blasphemy laws or fail to curb religiously motivated violence. It also requires the Secretary of State to designate Nigeria as a "Country of Particular Concern" due to serious religious freedom violations. Furthermore, the bill specifically names Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa as "Entities of Particular Concern."

The CLEAN DC Act, officially the Common-Sense Law Enforcement and Accountability Now in DC Act, seeks to completely repeal the Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022. This action effectively nullifies all changes made by the 2022 Act, restoring the previous legal standards regarding policing and justice in DC.

The NOAA Weather Radio Modernization Act aims to significantly upgrade the reliability and reach of the NOAA Weather Radio network through infrastructure modernization, expanded coverage in underserved areas, and improved alert specificity. It also establishes national standards for flash flood warning systems in high-risk zones, ensuring alerts function even without reliable internet or cell service. Furthermore, the bill protects critical NOAA warning-related positions from hiring freezes and mandates a 10-year staffing plan for the National Weather Service.

Kate's Law increases penalties for illegal entry into the U.S. by individuals who are later convicted of serious crimes. The bill mandates a minimum five-year sentence for illegal entry if the person is subsequently convicted of a crime punishable by over one year in prison. Furthermore, it significantly increases prison sentences, including mandatory minimums, for aliens who illegally reenter the U.S. after being previously removed.

The Space Exploration Research Act grants the NASA Administrator expanded authority to lease government land for up to 99 years to specific educational, scientific, or governmental entities. This new power is intended to facilitate the construction and operation of facilities dedicated to space research, technology transfer, and workforce training. The Act allows NASA to provide support services for these leased facilities and overrides certain existing federal leasing regulations.

The SkyFoundry Act of 2025 establishes a new Department of Defense initiative, the SkyFoundry Program, tasked with rapidly developing, testing, and mass-producing small unmanned aircraft systems (drones). Run by the Army, the program will feature dedicated innovation and production hubs, utilizing special acquisition authorities to speed up fielding. The Act also directs efforts to boost domestic manufacturing capacity and allows for the modification of internal regulations to ensure rapid execution.

The Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education Act requires local school districts receiving federal funds to provide parents with detailed information regarding foreign financial influence. This includes granting parents access to review and copy educational materials purchased with foreign funds, and the right to inquire about staff paid by foreign entities. Districts must publicly disclose the source, amount, and conditions of any foreign donations or agreements annually.