Legislative Activity

The District of Columbia Home Rule Improvement Act of 2025 standardizes and extends the Congressional review period for D.C. laws to 60 days while streamlining the expedited procedures Congress uses to disapprove D.C. actions. The bill also grants Congress the authority to disapprove specific provisions within D.C. laws, as well as executive orders and regulations issued by the Mayor. Furthermore, it prohibits the D.C. Council from withdrawing transmitted legislation or resubmitting measures substantially similar to those previously disapproved by Congress.

This Act establishes a mandatory supply fee for Medicare drug plans to pay long-term care pharmacies for specific prescriptions dispensed in 2026 and 2027. The bill mandates a $30 fee per prescription in 2026, increasing in 2027, with penalties for non-payment. Additionally, the GAO is required to study the financial sustainability of the current payment structure for these essential pharmacies. This legislation aims to ensure continued access to medications for patients in long-term care settings.

The Farm Credit Adjustment Act grants the Farm Credit Administration the option to extend mandatory examination cycles for low-risk Farm Credit System institutions from the current frequency to once every 24 months. This change provides regulatory flexibility for institutions deemed stable by the FCA. This new examination option will take effect starting October 1, 2026.

The Fairness for Khobar Act of 2025 ensures that certain victims of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing receive overdue lump sum payments. This legislation corrects past injustices where victims were denied payments due to relying on incorrect guidance from the Department of Justice. The Act mandates the Special Master to authorize these catch-up payments using designated reserve funds.

This bill amends federal law to explicitly include violations related to rioting within the definition of "racketeering activity." By adding this specific crime to the list under Title 18, Section 1961(1), the legislation makes participation in such activities subject to serious federal racketeering charges. This change treats rioting violations similarly to other established offenses like bribery or extortion for the purposes of federal prosecution.

The District of Columbia Sister City Integrity Act prohibits the District from establishing new Sister City relationships with any city or region located in a country designated as a foreign adversary. Existing partnerships with such nations must be terminated within 180 days or upon the agreement's expiration. Furthermore, the District cannot use federal funds for international liaison services without certifying compliance with this Act to the President.

The Restoring Equal Opportunity Act aims to eliminate "disparate-impact liability" across major federal laws. This bill prohibits lawsuits claiming discrimination based solely on the unintended, disproportionate negative effect of a rule or practice. Consequently, it removes the ability to challenge employment and housing practices unless discriminatory intent can be proven. The Act also nullifies specific prior regulatory approvals related to civil rights enforcement.

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 Pharmacy Benefit Manager Reform Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency and accountability across the prescription drug supply chain. It mandates fairer pharmacy network access for Medicare beneficiaries and imposes strict new financial reporting and service fee requirements on Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) working with Medicare and private health plans. Furthermore, the bill establishes new federal mechanisms to accurately track drug acquisition costs in Medicaid and explicitly bans the practice of "spread pricing" in state Medicaid contracts.

The Ensuring Justice for Camp Lejeune Victims Act of 2025 makes technical corrections to the 2022 Camp Lejeune Justice Act to clarify standards for proving harm and venue for trials. This legislation sets specific caps on attorney fees and retroactively applies these changes to all existing and future claims filed under the original 2022 Act. The bill ensures that existing statutes of limitations for filing claims remain unchanged.

The Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025 aims to address the rapidly increasing rates and high mortality of esophageal cancer. This legislation mandates a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report to analyze the treatment costs and screening adherence for high-risk individuals within the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program. The overall goal is to improve early detection, which is critical for boosting survival rates for this deadly disease.

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 REG Budgeting Act of 2025 establishes a system requiring the OMB Director to set annual caps on the total new, unfunded regulatory costs agencies can impose on the public. Any proposed limit that results in a net increase in these costs requires Congressional approval to take effect. The Act mandates strict reporting and review processes, allowing affected parties to challenge agency rules that violate these new cost control provisions.

The Mammoth Cave National Park Boundary Adjustment Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire approximately 551.14 acres of land to expand the boundaries of Mammoth Cave National Park. This addition, detailed on a specific map, modifies the park's existing boundaries in Edmonson and Barren Counties, Kentucky.

The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act restricts the Department of Veterans Affairs from automatically sharing a veteran's information with the DOJ for national background checks solely based on the appointment of a fiduciary. This bill prohibits the VA from classifying a veteran as a "mental defective" based only on an administrative finding of incompetence or the need for a fiduciary. Furthermore, the VA must notify the Attorney General if previously shared information based on fiduciary status is no longer valid.

The App Store Freedom Act aims to foster a more competitive app market by establishing clear rules for large technology companies that own operating systems and app stores. This legislation mandates that these "covered companies" must allow users to easily choose third-party default apps and grants developers fair access to necessary operating system features. Furthermore, the Act prohibits unfair practices such as payment system lock-in and penalizing developers for offering sales outside the official store. Enforcement will be handled by the FTC and state attorneys general, with significant civil penalties for violations.

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.

The Duty Drawback Clarification Act updates the U.S. tariff schedule to standardize the classification of whiskies under Chapter 22. This legislation removes an outdated whiskey classification code and requires the U.S. International Trade Commission to add new statistical tracking codes for imports. These changes will take effect 15 days after the Act is officially enacted.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 updates federal housing tax credit allocations to reflect current economic realities and boosts minimum state allotments. It reforms tenant eligibility rules to stabilize tenancy and enhance protections for vulnerable residents, including victims of abuse. The bill also provides disaster relief for property owners, increases incentives for housing the extremely low-income, and directs greater resources toward Native American and rural housing needs. Finally, it streamlines administrative processes and signals a future focus on data transparency and discouraging restrictive local zoning.

This bill establishes the Select Committee to Defeat the Mexican Drug Cartels, a non-legislative investigative body within the House of Representatives. The committee will be composed of up to 21 members tasked with investigating the operations and networks of Mexican drug cartels and the government responses to them. While it cannot pass laws, the committee must report its findings and policy suggestions to the House and relevant committees by specific deadlines, with final reports made public by the end of 2026.