Legislative Activity

The Hot Foods Act of 2025 removes the general federal ban on using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase hot, ready-to-eat foods. This legislation clarifies that hot foods are now eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, while also setting a new rule that limits SNAP-participating retailers to deriving no more than 50% of their gross sales from these ready-to-eat hot items. The act updates existing statutes to reflect this expanded purchasing power for recipients.

The Trucker Bathroom Access Act ensures that commercial truck drivers are allowed to use restrooms at businesses where they are delivering or picking up goods. This legislation also mandates that operators of marine terminals provide adequate and safe restroom facilities for drayage truck drivers working on port property. The goal is to guarantee basic sanitation access for professional drivers during their work hours.

The Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025 establishes a new federal program to test methods for increasing the purchase of nutrient-rich dairy products by households using SNAP benefits. The Secretary of Agriculture will award competitive grants to eligible entities to implement incentive projects at the point of sale. These projects must prioritize direct incentives that can only be spent on buying more eligible dairy items, and all projects will undergo rigorous independent evaluation. The Act also mandates the transition of existing dairy incentive projects into this new framework without interruption.

The Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act of 2025 aims to establish stricter federal standards for prior authorization decisions made by Medicare contractors and private Medicare plans. This bill mandates that coverage denials must be based on clear, evidence-based clinical criteria developed with input from practicing physicians. Furthermore, it requires plans to post their authorization rules online, provide advance notice of changes, and publicly report approval and denial statistics. Finally, all final denials of care must be reviewed and issued by a qualified, board-certified physician.

The American Families United Act grants immigration officials increased discretion to halt removal proceedings or grant immigration benefits for family members of U.S. citizens when separation would cause hardship. This discretion is presumed to be met if the action results in family separation, though certain serious criminal grounds remain disqualifying. The Act also allows individuals to file motions to reopen or reconsider past immigration decisions if the outcome would have been different under these new provisions, subject to a two-year filing deadline.

The Cellphone Jamming Reform Act of 2025 limits the FCC's authority to prohibit the use of cell phone jamming systems within jails and prisons. This legislation specifically permits state and federal correctional facilities to deploy jamming technology to block communications involving inmates or contraband devices. Any facility using these systems must adhere to strict operational limits, ensure state funding for state-run systems, and coordinate with local public safety officials beforehand.

The Safer Skies Act of 2025 mandates enhanced security screening for certain smaller charter and commuter air carriers that sell individual passenger seats publicly. This legislation requires these specific operations, currently exempt from TSA checkpoints, to adopt the security standards applied to larger commercial airlines. The goal is to raise the baseline security level across a broader segment of air travel operations.

The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025 establishes a national standard for carrying concealed handguns across state lines. This act allows individuals legally permitted to carry in their home state to carry concealed in any other state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. The law does not override private property restrictions or prohibitions on government property, but it provides protections and legal recourse for those traveling in compliance with the new federal standard.

The Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act mandates that states implement rigorous screening for all enrolled healthcare providers. Specifically, this legislation requires states to verify that all Medicaid providers are alive by checking the federal Death Master File upon enrollment and at least quarterly thereafter. This measure aims to prevent fraudulent payments made to deceased individuals or entities.

The Physician Led and Rural Access to Quality Care Act revises physician self-referral rules to improve healthcare access in underserved areas. Specifically, it creates a new exception allowing physician self-referrals to hospitals located in designated rural areas that meet specific distance requirements. Furthermore, the bill removes existing restrictions that previously limited the expansion of services at physician-owned hospitals.

The Innovative FEED Act of 2025 establishes a new regulatory category for "zootechnical animal food substances" intended to modify animal digestive byproducts or reduce foodborne pathogens without treating disease. This bill mandates that these new substances must undergo the standard food additive approval process with the FDA, requiring petitioners to provide extensive data on their intended effects. Approval is contingent upon proving the substance achieves its claimed function under proposed use conditions, and all resulting animal food must carry a specific disclaimer stating it is not for disease treatment.

This resolution expresses support for designating March 18, 2025, as "National Agriculture Day." It recognizes and celebrates the significant impact of agriculture as a leading industry in the United States.

The Major Richard Star Act ensures that military retirees with combat-related disabilities can receive both their military retirement pay and VA disability compensation concurrently without reduction. This law removes previous restrictions that caused military retirement pay to be offset by VA disability payments for these specific cases. The changes take effect on the first day of the month following the Act's enactment.

The HELPER Act of 2025 establishes a new FHA mortgage insurance program to assist first responders, educators, and law enforcement officers in purchasing homes. This program offers eligible first-time homebuyers 100% financing with no down payment required. Instead of monthly premiums, borrowers pay an upfront FHA insurance premium at closing.

The SPEAK Act of 2025 directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue updated guidance on ensuring meaningful language access during telehealth services. This guidance must establish best practices for incorporating interpreters, improving access to technology, and providing multilingual patient materials for individuals with limited English proficiency. The goal is to ensure equitable care delivery across virtual health platforms.

This bill disapproves and nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule regarding waste emissions charges for petroleum and natural gas systems. The rule outlined compliance procedures, netting, and exemptions, but will no longer be implemented.

The Space National Guard Establishment Act of 2025 formally creates the Space National Guard as a new state-level component of the organized militia, serving as the reserve component for the U.S. Space Force. This initial structure transfers existing Air National Guard space personnel and units in seven specified states into the new branch. The Act mandates that the Space National Guard utilize existing Air National Guard facilities and requires annual briefings to Congress on its implementation and operations for five years.

The "SHIELD Against CCP Act" establishes a working group within the Department of Homeland Security to counter threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) related to terrorism, cybersecurity, border and port security, and transportation security. This group will examine and report on the Department's efforts, account for dedicated resources, identify policy gaps, and facilitate cooperation, while also sharing information with federal, state, and local partners. The Secretary of Homeland Security must submit annual reports to Congress for five years, assessing CCP threats and the activities of the working group. The working group will terminate seven years after its establishment.

This bill expresses the House of Representatives' support for maintaining the stepped-up basis under section 1014 of the Internal Revenue Code, which allows inherited assets to be adjusted to their current market value, protecting family-owned farms and small businesses from increased taxes. It opposes any changes to the tax code that would negatively impact the ability of these businesses to pass their operations on to the next generation. The bill recognizes the importance of generational transfers for the continuation of family farms, ranches, agribusinesses, and small businesses.

The Productive Public Lands Act mandates the Secretary of the Interior to promptly reissue nine specific Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land management plans finalized between late 2024 and early 2025. This reissuance requires the BLM to formally update its preferred alternative for each plan. Crucially, these reissued documents are automatically deemed compliant with major environmental review and administrative procedure laws, bypassing further environmental analysis.