Legislative Activity

The Precision Agriculture Loan Program Act of 2025 establishes a loan program through the Farm Service Agency to help crop and livestock producers purchase precision agriculture equipment like GPS, sensors, and data management software. The loans, capped at $500,000 with a maximum term of 12 years, aim to improve efficiency and environmental quality in agricultural production. The Act requires annual reporting on loan distribution and environmental benefits.

The SAFE Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to negotiate agreements with countries importing U.S. livestock or animal products. These agreements will focus on strategies like regionalization and zoning to minimize the trade impacts of animal disease outbreaks, while also considering global research advancements. This act does not affect the United States Trade Representative's authority in negotiating trade agreements.

The "PROTECT the Second Amendment Act" ensures that residents of federally assisted rental housing are not prohibited from lawfully possessing firearms within their dwelling or while transporting them in common areas. This applies to housing programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Agriculture. The bill aims to protect the Second Amendment rights of tenants in federally subsidized housing.

The AG2PI Act of 2025 reauthorizes the Genome to Phenome Initiative through 2030, supporting research to connect plant and livestock genes to their traits. This initiative aims to help farmers and ranchers improve the resilience, productivity, and profitability of their businesses by understanding the relationship between genetics, environmental factors, and management practices. By reauthorizing the Genome to Phenome Initiative, this act will promote efficient and sustainable agricultural production systems.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to exempt qualified student loan bonds from state volume caps, excluding student borrowers from being defined as ultimate borrowers for these bonds. It also excludes these bonds from the alternative minimum tax, encouraging investment in student loans. These changes apply to bonds issued after the bill's enactment, excluding certain refunding bonds.

The "Secure Family Futures Act of 2025" modifies the Internal Revenue Code to exclude certain debt instruments held by applicable insurance companies from being treated as capital assets. Additionally, it extends the period for applicable insurance companies to carry forward capital losses from 5 years to 10 years. These changes apply to indebtedness acquired and losses incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, respectively.

The "National Taxpayer Advocate Enhancement Act of 2025" allows the Taxpayer Advocate to directly appoint counsel who will report to them. It modifies the language regarding who the Taxpayer Advocate's office can employ. These changes are retroactive to 1998.

The "Internal Revenue Service Math and Taxpayer Help Act" requires the IRS to improve notices of math or clerical errors by providing clear explanations of errors, itemized computations of adjustments, and clear instructions for requesting abatements. It also mandates a pilot program for sending notices via certified mail and requires a report to Congress on the effectiveness of these changes.

The "FRIDGE Act of 2025" aims to bolster the export of U.S. agricultural products by improving infrastructure in developing foreign markets. It directs the Secretary to collaborate with trade organizations to provide assessments, training, and technical assistance, specifically targeting cold chain capacity and port improvements to prevent damage to U.S. agricultural commodities. The act authorizes $1,000,000 annually from 2026 to 2030 for these activities, with unused funds being reallocated to the existing program. This initiative seeks to reduce food loss, promote trade, and enhance nutrition by strengthening global supply chains.

The "Weather Innovation for the Next Generation Act of 2025" directs the National Weather Service to establish a program researching how obstructions like wind turbines impact weather radar performance. The program will test technologies and develop solutions to mitigate these impacts, focusing on technology-based solutions and collaboration with various entities. It requires annual reports to Congress and a final recommendation on the need for further research. The program is set to conclude by September 30, 2030.

The "National Weather Service Communications Improvement Act" mandates the National Weather Service to modernize its communication system by October 1, 2027, replacing NWSChat with a commercial instant messaging service hosted on a public cloud. This upgrade aims to enhance user experience, accommodate growth, and improve performance. The Act allocates up to $3,000,000 annually from 2026 to 2029, using existing National Weather Service funds for the project.

The COST Act mandates a comprehensive cost analysis by the Comptroller General regarding the replacement of gasoline-fueled federal vehicles with electric and flex-fuel vehicles, including infrastructure costs. It also requires the Secretary of Energy to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions analysis comparing conventional gasoline vehicles, E85 flex-fuel vehicles, and battery electric vehicles. Both analyses will be published and reported to specific congressional committees within one year.

The Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to enhance support for beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers. It expands the definition of these farmers to include those with up to 10 years of experience and increases crop insurance assistance by providing percentage point adjustments to coverage rates, offering greater financial security during their initial years of operation. This bill aims to encourage and support the next generation of agricultural producers by making crop insurance more accessible and beneficial.

The FARMLAND Act of 2025 aims to protect U.S. agriculture and national security by modernizing and enforcing laws against malign foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land and businesses, particularly from countries of concern. It increases penalties for non-compliance with reporting requirements, mandates detailed reports on foreign land ownership and potential threats, and enhances the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) authority to review real estate transactions involving foreign entities. The act also directs the creation of a comprehensive database of foreign-owned agricultural land and prohibits foreign individuals/entities from participating in Farm Service Agency programs. Finally, the act authorizes appropriations for secure workspace construction, database development, and other activities related to enforcing the act.

The Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act of 2025 expands Medicare coverage to include certain telehealth services delivered via audio-only communication, ensuring access to healthcare for individuals who may not have access to video technology. This applies to services already approved for telehealth coverage under Section 1834(m)(4)(F)(i) of the Social Security Act. The changes would go into effect on the first day of a declared emergency period.

The Recruiting Families Using Data Act of 2025 aims to improve foster care and adoption outcomes by requiring states to develop "family partnership plans" that focus on identifying and supporting relatives as placement options, creating child-specific recruitment plans, and using data to improve family recruitment and retention efforts. It also mandates states to collect and report data on foster family capacity, congregate care utilization, and feedback from foster and adoptive parents and youth. Additionally, the Act requires the annual child welfare outcomes report to Congress to include detailed state-by-state data on foster and adoptive families, challenges and barriers to foster parenting, and efforts to recruit diverse families.

The "Access to Credit for our Rural Economy Act of 2025" (ACRE Act) aims to bolster rural economies by excluding interest earned on qualified real estate loans by qualified lenders from gross income. These loans must be secured by rural or agricultural real estate, forestland, or related leaseholds, and cannot be made to foreign adversary entities. For single-family residences, the loan must be used for purchase or improvement, with a principal not exceeding $750,000. The Treasury Secretary is required to report to Congress on the impact of this act.

The "Death Tax Repeal Act" eliminates both estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, effective from the date of enactment. It adjusts gift tax calculations by setting the lifetime gift exemption at $10,000,000, with inflation adjustments after 2011. The Act also includes transitional rules for applying certain sections of the Internal Revenue Code during the enactment year.

The "Growing and Preserving Innovation in America Act of 2025" amends the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate a scheduled decrease in the deduction for foreign-derived intangible income. This change maintains the deduction at a higher level, supporting companies that generate income from intellectual property developed and used abroad. The act is effective immediately upon enactment.

The "Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to enhance the paid family and medical leave credit for eligible employers. It modifies the calculation of the credit, clarifies aggregation rules, and refines the definition of qualifying employees. The act also mandates outreach by the Small Business Administration and the Treasury to educate employers about the credit and its requirements.