Legislative Activity

The American Broadband Deployment Act of 2025 aims to rapidly expand wireless and wireline internet infrastructure by streamlining government approval processes at the state, local, and federal levels. It establishes strict deadlines for permit decisions, mandates automatic approval if deadlines are missed, and limits excessive fees to accelerate deployment. The bill also expedites environmental reviews for certain projects to reduce bureaucratic delays in building out modern communications networks.

The Equal Representation Act of 2025 mandates the inclusion of a citizenship question on the decennial census starting in 2030. This legislation requires that the population counts used for apportioning seats in the House of Representatives and determining electoral votes exclude non-citizens. The bill ensures that representation is based solely on the count of U.S. citizens within each state.

The Kidd's Stuttering Act aims to address childhood stuttering by expanding screening and coverage under Medicaid and CHIP. This legislation mandates the inclusion of stuttering screening in child health quality measures and requires its inclusion in Medicaid well-child visits starting in 2027. Furthermore, the Act ensures that treatment for stuttering is a mandatory Medicaid and CHIP benefit, requiring parity in treatment limitations compared to other speech disorders.

The AI Fraud Deterrence Act addresses the growing threat of AI-powered impersonation and fraud targeting high-level officials. This legislation increases penalties for existing financial crimes like mail, wire, and bank fraud when committed with the assistance of artificial intelligence. Furthermore, it establishes enhanced penalties specifically for using AI to impersonate federal officials, while protecting legitimate expressive uses of the technology.

This bill, the Medicaid Staffing Flexibility and Protection Act of 2025, grants states increased flexibility to contract with external agencies or private contractors to handle Medicaid eligibility determinations, redeterminations, and fair hearings. While allowing this outsourcing, the legislation strictly prohibits contracts that create incentives to delay or deny benefits to eligible individuals. Furthermore, any contractor performing eligibility functions must have no financial relationship with Medicaid managed care organizations operating in the state.

This act grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) exclusive authority to approve or deny applications for natural gas and LNG export/import facilities, mandating that such actions be considered consistent with the public interest. The legislation clarifies that it does not limit the President's existing authority to impose sanctions through trade restrictions.

The REFINER Act mandates the Secretary of Energy to direct the National Petroleum Council to produce a comprehensive report on the state and future of U.S. petrochemical refineries. This report must examine their role in energy security, analyze capacity expansion opportunities, assess risks, and identify policies impacting refinery capacity. Ultimately, the goal is to provide recommendations to Congress on encouraging increased domestic refining capacity.

This act, the Heat Workforce Standards Act of 2025, prohibits the Secretary of Labor from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing the proposed rule regarding heat injury and illness prevention published in August 2024. This restriction extends to any future standard substantially similar to the one proposed.

The PROTECT Florida Act establishes a comprehensive moratorium on new oil and gas leasing and exploration activities off the coast of Florida in both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. This measure extends existing protections and prohibits activities like seismic testing until June 30, 2032. The bill aims to safeguard Florida's coastal environment, tourism, and recreational resources.

This resolution officially designates November 8, 2025, as "National Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Day." It highlights the critical need to strengthen STEM education and workforce development across the nation, addressing current educational shortfalls and promoting diversity. The bill emphasizes collaboration among various sectors to ensure all students have access to vital STEM learning opportunities. Ultimately, it calls for observation of the day to celebrate and advance STEM literacy for the benefit of the country.

The Bridge the Gap for Rural Communities Act temporarily suspends federal payment limitations for the 2025 crop year. It also establishes an option for eligible producers to receive an advance partial payment of up to 50% of their projected 2025 covered commodity payments by the end of that year. This measure aims to provide immediate financial support to rural agricultural producers.

This resolution formally honors the life and legacy of Charles "Charlie" James Kirk, who was tragically assassinated at Utah Valley University. It condemns political violence and calls upon all Americans to reject extremism in favor of civil debate. The bill expresses deep sympathy to his family and urges a renewal of commitment to the values of faith, family, and freedom he championed.

The GRID Power Act directs the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to rapidly update rules governing how new power plants connect to the electric grid. This legislation mandates that FERC prioritize and streamline the interconnection process for dispatchable power projects that demonstrably improve grid reliability and resilience. The goal is to ensure that necessary, dependable power sources can connect quickly while maintaining public input and regular review of the new procedures.

This Act establishes a new "certificate of crossing" requirement for energy infrastructure projects that cross the U.S. border with Canada or Mexico, streamlining approvals while maintaining environmental review. It significantly eliminates the need for Presidential permits for new cross-border energy facilities, such as pipelines and transmission lines. Furthermore, the bill speeds up the approval process for certain natural gas import/export applications handled by FERC. These changes aim to strengthen North American energy security by modernizing the regulatory framework for cross-border energy connections.

The SHINE for Autumn Act of 2025 aims to significantly improve federal support for state-level stillbirth research and data collection. It authorizes grants for states to enhance surveillance, track risk factors, and build local capacity for analyzing stillbirth data, provided the information remains de-identified. Furthermore, the bill mandates the development of standardized guidelines and educational materials regarding stillbirth awareness and risk factors, developed in consultation with experts and bereaved families.

The AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 mandates that the Secretary of Transportation establish a rule requiring AM broadcast radio receivers to be installed as standard equipment in new passenger motor vehicles. This requirement aims to ensure public access to AM radio signals, which are often used for emergency alerts. The bill also directs a GAO study on the effectiveness of AM radio within the national emergency alert system compared to other technologies. Finally, the Act preempts state and local laws on this matter and includes a sunset provision eight years after enactment.

The "Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act" expands Medicare coverage to include FDA-approved multi-cancer early detection screening tests starting in 2028. It defines the criteria for these tests, sets payment guidelines, and establishes age and frequency limitations for coverage. The bill ensures that existing cancer screening coverage remains unaffected and allows for waivers of limitations based on recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

The Pay Our Troops Act of 2026 ensures that active duty military personnel and essential civilian support staff continue to receive their pay if Congress has not yet passed the full budget for fiscal year 2026. This act provides automatic continuing appropriations from the Treasury to prevent a lapse in military salaries due to budget delays. The funding automatically terminates once a new budget or continuing resolution is passed, or on January 1, 2027, whichever comes first.

The Reforming and Enhancing Sustainable Updates to Laboratory Testing Services Act of 2025 (RESULTS Act) aims to improve Medicare payment rates for clinical lab tests by mandating the collection of more accurate, real-world payment data directly from large, independent private insurance claims databases. This legislation updates definitions, collection timelines, and calculation methods to ensure Medicare payments for widely available tests reflect current market rates. It also establishes default payment rules if sufficient private payor data cannot be secured.

The American Franchise Act aims to protect the traditional franchise business model by clarifying the definition of a "joint employer." This legislation establishes that a franchisor is only considered a joint employer if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms of employment for a franchisee's workers. This change specifically targets liability risks associated with maintaining brand standards, ensuring franchisors are not automatically held responsible for local labor practices. The new standard applies prospectively to future legal proceedings.