Legislative Activity

The SPEED for BEAD Act amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to streamline broadband deployment grants. It renames the "Equity" program to "Expansion," allows funds for workforce development, and permits removal of high-cost locations from project areas. The act also prohibits certain conditions related to labor, climate change, and network management, and ensures consideration of all broadband technologies.

The Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act excludes certain federal grants received for deploying broadband infrastructure from gross income, making those funds tax-free. This exclusion prevents taxpayers from claiming a deduction or credit for expenses covered by these grants. The bill ensures that the basis of property purchased with these tax-free funds is appropriately adjusted. This provision applies to grants received in taxable years ending after March 11, 2023.

The Access to Credit for our Rural Economy Act of 2025 (ACRE Act) creates a new federal tax incentive for qualified lenders. This incentive excludes income earned from interest on loans secured by rural or agricultural real property from taxation. The goal is to encourage lending for agricultural, forestry, and certain rural home improvement purposes while prohibiting loans to foreign adversary entities.

This bill aims to enhance security along the southern border by constructing roads, increasing access for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and allowing temporary placement of structures by border states. It also seeks to mitigate environmental damage on federal lands caused by illegal activities through initiatives focused on reducing trash, preventing wildfires, and remediating contamination. Additionally, the bill restricts housing options for non-citizens who have not been formally admitted into the country by preventing the use of federal funds to house these individuals on federally managed lands.

This bill expresses condolences for the 67 lives lost in the American Eagle Flight 5342 and PAT 25 crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29, 2025. It recognizes the impact on Wichita, Kansas, and acknowledges the cooperation of officials in responding to the tragedy and assisting the families. The bill also commends the heroic actions of first responders and emergency services personnel.

The Aviation Workforce Development Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow expenses for aviation maintenance and commercial pilot courses to be considered qualified higher education expenses for qualified tuition programs. This change applies to distributions made after the enactment of this law, aiming to support workforce development in the aviation sector.

The Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act directs the Department of Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar coins in 2027 to commemorate the life and legacy of Roberto Clemente. The coins' designs will represent Clemente's life, including his baseball achievements and humanitarian work. Surcharges from the coin sales will benefit the Roberto Clemente Foundation, supporting their educational programs, youth sports initiatives, disaster relief efforts, and historic preservation projects. The Act ensures that the coin program will not incur any net cost to the United States government.

The "Federal Firearms Licensee Protection Act of 2025" increases penalties for stealing firearms from licensed dealers. It sets stricter punishments, including up to 20 years in prison, for violating laws related to firearm theft. The act also mandates minimum prison sentences of 3 years for burglaries and 5 years for robberies targeting licensed firearm businesses.

The Financial Reporting Threshold Modernization Act updates the thresholds for currency transaction reports and suspicious activity reports to reflect inflation. It raises the threshold for currency transaction reports from $10,000 to $30,000 and mandates updates every 5 years based on the Consumer Price Index. Additionally, it increases the reporting threshold for coins and currency received in nonfinancial trades or businesses from $10,000 to $30,000, also with CPI-based updates every 5 years. The Act requires federal agencies and the Secretary of the Treasury to revise regulations to reflect these changes, which must be implemented within 180 days of enactment.

The "EARLY Minds Act" amends the Public Health Service Act to emphasize early intervention for mental health by requiring states to outline prevention strategies in their plans. States can use up to 5% of their funding to support these programs. The Secretary must report to Congress biennially on state prevention and early intervention activities, including outcomes and demographics.

The "Community News and Small Business Support Act" introduces two tax credits aimed at supporting local news and small businesses. First, it provides a tax credit for small businesses that advertise in local media outlets, such as newspapers and broadcast stations. Second, it establishes a payroll tax credit for local news organizations to help them employ local news journalists. Both credits are designed to alleviate financial burdens and promote investment in local journalism and small business advertising, with specific limitations and eligibility requirements. The provisions of this act will be in place for 5 years.

The Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act of 2025 introduces a tax credit for investments in innovative agricultural technology, aiming to boost the production, storage, and processing of specialty crops through precision and controlled environment agriculture. This credit covers 30% of qualified investments in projects using technologies like precision agriculture and controlled environment agriculture, effective for construction starting after January 1, 2025, and includes options for direct payment or transfer of the credit.

The "Donald J. Trump $250 Bill Act" would require the Department of Treasury to print $250 Federal Reserve notes featuring a portrait of Donald J. Trump, to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. This bill also amends existing law to allow the portrait of living Presidents to appear on United States currency and securities.

This bill nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. The rule targeted new, modified, and reconstructed fossil fuel-fired electric generating units. It also set emission guidelines and repealed the Affordable Clean Energy Rule.

The "Rebuild America’s Health Care Schools Act of 2025" updates how Medicare reimburses hospitals for the costs of running nursing and allied health education programs. It broadens the definition of "reasonable costs" to include both direct and indirect expenses, regardless of whether they are incurred directly by the hospital or through related entities. The Act also requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue rules implementing these changes and to refund hospitals for past cost reductions that would now be allowable. This aims to provide greater financial support for these crucial healthcare education programs.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.

The "No American Land for Communist China Act" prohibits the President from allowing individuals or entities associated with the Chinese government from purchasing real estate near covered federal lands. Covered lands include those managed by the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture (Forest Service), and Energy, as well as Indian country. This restriction applies to entities with at least 25% equity interest held by Chinese government-affiliated individuals or businesses. The Act defines "United States" broadly to include states, territories, and other U.S. possessions.

The "Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2025" adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for agricultural matters. It mandates CFIUS review of agricultural land transactions, particularly those involving entities from China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran, to safeguard American agriculture. This ensures scrutiny of foreign investments in agricultural land and related industries, addressing potential threats to national security. The requirements for a specific country will end if that country is removed from the list of foreign adversaries in section 791.4 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations.

The "Parity for Athletic Recreation Act" or "PAR Act" removes the restriction that prohibits bond proceeds from being used for private or commercial golf courses and country clubs. This change applies to bonds issued after the enactment of this Act. Additionally, it affects the empowerment zone employment credit and applies to empowerment zone businesses and opportunity zones.

The Broadband Buildout Accountability Act exempts the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), with one specific exception. This exception pertains to 5 U.S. Code § 552, suggesting a limited allowance for information disclosure under specific circumstances within the program.