Legislative Activity

The Primacy Certainty Act of 2025 establishes strict deadlines for the EPA when reviewing state applications to take primary enforcement responsibility for Class VI carbon capture and sequestration wells. If the EPA misses these mandated review periods, state applications for primacy can be automatically approved. This legislation also requires the EPA to assign dedicated staff to assist states in preparing their applications.

This bill amends the Public Health Service Act to mandate the creation of a comprehensive **Biological Attribution Strategy** to determine the source of biological threats. It also requires the development of an **Early Warning Strategy and Implementation Plan** to rapidly detect and respond to biological, chemical, and radiological dangers. The legislation focuses on improving federal coordination, developing new diagnostic technologies, and establishing clear trigger points for threat investigation.

The Returning Illegals over Turmoil Act establishes new grounds for the deportation and permanent inadmissibility of non-citizens who incite or participate in violent acts against law enforcement or public property during civil unrest. This legislation mandates strict enforcement during declared emergencies and grants the Secretary of Homeland Security expedited removal authority under those conditions. Furthermore, individuals removed under these provisions are permanently barred from receiving any form of immigration relief or future DACA eligibility.

The Fighting Foreign Illegal Seafood Harvests Act of 2025 (FISH Act of 2025) establishes a public "black list" of foreign vessels involved in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing or forced labor, banning them from U.S. ports and commerce. The bill mandates increased interagency cooperation to combat IUU fishing, including developing strategies to optimize data sharing and prevent seafood caught illegally or with forced labor from entering U.S. markets. Furthermore, it authorizes the Treasury Secretary to impose sanctions on entities engaged in these illicit activities and encourages international agreements to strengthen global enforcement.

The Protect DSH Act delays scheduled federal reductions to Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments, which support hospitals serving many low-income patients. This legislation shifts the planned payment cuts from the 2026-2028 period to the 2029-2031 fiscal years. Essentially, the bill postpones the scaling back of these critical hospital funds by several years.

The Public Safety Officer Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Health Act of 2025 directs the CDC to gather and publicly share critical information regarding concussions and TBIs affecting public safety officers. This effort includes developing evidence-based practices for diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of these injuries. The resulting data will be disseminated through an updated CDC website and various outreach efforts to medical professionals, employers, and the families of officers.

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.

The Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends critical federal funding for graduate medical education programs at children's hospitals through fiscal year 2030. The bill increases annual funding allocations for the program during this extension period. Notably, it introduces a new restriction that prohibits payments to hospitals that provided certain gender-affirming surgeries and high-dose hormone treatments to minors in the preceding year, with specific exceptions for emergency care and treatment of certain medical conditions.

The "Medicaid Primary Care Improvement Act" allows states to use Medicaid funds for direct agreements with healthcare providers, including value-based care models and direct primary care arrangements. It requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to gather input and issue guidance to states on implementing these arrangements. Additionally, the Act mandates a report to Congress analyzing state contracts with independent physicians and the quality/cost of care in direct primary care arrangements within Medicaid. This aims to improve primary care access and quality within the Medicaid program without altering existing cost-sharing or limiting medical assistance.

The "Jobs and Opportunities for Medicaid Act" would amend the Social Security Act to require able-bodied adults to work or volunteer at least 20 hours per week to be eligible for Medicaid, starting January 1, 2026. Certain individuals, such as those medically unfit for work, pregnant, or primary caretakers of young children, would be exempt from this requirement.

This bill amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of higher education from requiring individuals to endorse certain ideologies or share personal information related to race, ethnicity, or related concepts. It prevents institutions from compelling statements about diversity, equity, and inclusion, or giving preferential treatment based on unsolicited statements supporting such ideologies. The bill does not restrict academic research or prevent individuals from voluntarily providing information.

The ATF Accountability Act of 2025 amends Title 18 of the U.S. Code, Section 923, by adding a new section that outlines procedures for appealing rulings from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It ensures timely written rulings from the Attorney General and establishes a structured appeal process, including hearings before an administrative law judge, with decisions subject to judicial review. This act aims to provide a fair and transparent process for licensees to challenge ATF rulings, with the effective date of rulings postponed during appeals.

The Medicaid Third Party Liability Act modifies Medicaid's third-party liability rules by removing special treatment for certain care types, clarifying health insurers' roles in recovery, and increasing state flexibility in accepting payment rights. It mandates states to verify insurance status for Medicaid applicants to secure federal matching funds. States needing legislative changes gain delayed compliance to implement these modifications.

The "Do No Harm in Medicaid Act" prohibits federal Medicaid funding for gender transition procedures for individuals under 18, defining these procedures as surgeries and hormonal treatments intended to alter a person's body to a different sex. Exceptions are provided for treatments related to verifiable genetic disorders, abnormalities, infections, injuries, or imminent threats to life, as well as procedures to reverse previous gender transition interventions. The bill defines "sex" as biologically determined based on reproductive systems.

The "State Border Security Reimbursement Act of 2025" aims to reimburse states that have spent over $2,500,000,000 on border security in the 10 years prior to the Act. It requires the federal government to reimburse states for border security expenses they incurred without federal funding. Eligible states must apply within 180 days of the Act's enactment, providing detailed records of their expenses.

This bill formally acknowledges the sacrifices and courage of Vietnam War veterans, recognizing their service and the challenges they faced, including exposure to Agent Orange and the loss of over 58,000 American lives. It urges the President to address the mistreatment of these veterans and issues a formal apology on behalf of the American people for the lack of support they received both during and after the war. The bill also supports enhanced education in schools to accurately reflect the experiences of Vietnam War veterans.

The HCT/P Modernization Act of 2025 aims to streamline the regulatory oversight of human cell and tissue products (HCT/Ps). It mandates the FDA to enhance transparency through online publications, provide educational resources to stakeholders, and update regulations to reflect scientific advancements. The Act also establishes a public forum for feedback on modernizing HCT/P regulations and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to report recommendations to Congress by September 30, 2026, focusing on regulatory burden, scientific advancements, product access, and public health protection.

The "Broadband Resiliency and Flexible Investment Act" streamlines the modification process for existing wireless and telecommunications infrastructure. It mandates quicker approvals by state and local governments for upgrades that don't significantly alter the structure's size, setting a 60-day approval timeframe with automatic approval if no decision is made. The Act limits documentation requirements and allows federal lawsuits for enforcement, aiming to accelerate broadband deployment and improve network resilience. The FCC is required to implement these changes within 180 days.

The "Preventing Unjust Red Flag Laws Act of 2025" prohibits the use of federal funds for the implementation or enforcement of federal red flag laws, as well as assisting state, local, tribal, and territorial governments in enacting or enforcing their own red flag laws. Red flag laws are defined as risk-based, temporary protective orders that allow for firearm removal without due process.