Legislative Activity

The Wildfire Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025 aims to significantly enhance national readiness for wildfires and wildland-urban interface fires. It establishes a national training plan and grant program for structural firefighters, creates a new high-level Under Secretary for Fire Coordination within the Department of Agriculture, and boosts firefighter health and safety research. Furthermore, the Act authorizes supplemental funding for local departments to purchase protective gear and receive specialized training.

The Advancing Research on Agricultural Soil Health Act of 2025 aims to standardize how soil carbon is measured for research and conservation purposes. The bill establishes a national Soil Carbon Inventory and Analysis Network to track carbon stocks across U.S. lands every five years using the new standard methodology. Furthermore, it mandates the development of a predictive modeling tool to estimate the environmental impacts of various land management practices. This legislation supports producers by offering technical assistance for voluntary soil carbon reporting.

The Local Farmers Feeding our Communities Act establishes a new program to support local food producers and strengthen regional food security. This initiative requires the Secretary of Agriculture to fund agreements that ensure nutritious, locally sourced food is purchased and distributed widely, prioritizing small and beginning farmers. Funds must be used to buy minimally processed local products and provide technical assistance to producers. The program is backed by mandatory funding starting in Fiscal Year 2026.

This resolution officially recognizes August 5th as National Night Out, an annual event dedicated to strengthening community bonds and promoting public safety. It encourages local law enforcement to use this day to build trust by connecting with residents and clearly communicating emergency contact procedures. The bill celebrates the event's 40-year history of uniting neighborhoods across the nation.

The College Transparency Act establishes a secure, new national system for tracking student data from postsecondary institutions to improve transparency regarding enrollment, completion, costs, and post-college outcomes. This system will collect detailed, student-level data, securely matched with other federal records, to create public, aggregate reports for comparison. The law mandates strict privacy and security standards while aiming to reduce overall reporting burdens for colleges.

The One Stop Shop for Small Business Licensing Act of 2025 mandates the creation of a centralized, publicly accessible website within one year of enactment. This online resource will consolidate and clearly organize all federal, state, and local permit and licensing requirements for small businesses. The goal is to simplify compliance by allowing users to easily find necessary information based on their location and industry.

The Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2025 significantly improves the TRICARE Young Adult (TYA) program for military dependents. This legislation eliminates the age restriction for TYA eligibility and removes the separate premium requirement for coverage. These changes aim to provide broader and simpler healthcare access for adult children of service members.

This Act, the World War II Women's Memorial Location Act, designates specific areas where a commemorative work honoring women who served on the home front during World War II can be located. It temporarily waives standard federal regulations governing monument placement in Washington D.C. to allow the memorial to be built in either Area I or The Reserve.

This bill reauthorizes key programs under the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act. Specifically, it extends funding for state and community safety improvement grants and related education and awareness initiatives through fiscal year 2027. The purpose is to ensure continued support for vital pool and spa safety efforts.

This joint resolution expresses the disapproval of Congress regarding the United States Fish and Wildlife Service's recently submitted rule on the "Barred Owl Management Strategy." By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this action nullifies the proposed management strategy, preventing it from taking legal effect. Essentially, Congress is rejecting the USFWS's plan for managing Barred Owls.

This bill updates the definition of a federal firefighter under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) to potentially include those with wildland firefighting experience or those who transitioned into supervisory roles. It allows current federal firefighters to receive credit for past service time that previously didn't count due to stricter definitions, provided they meet new criteria and repay the required retirement contributions with interest. This aims to ensure more federal firefighters receive accurate service credit toward their retirement benefits.

The Ensuring Casualty Assistance for our Firefighters Act establishes the Wildland Fire Management Casualty Assistance Program to support the next-of-kin of firefighters or staff seriously injured, critically ill, or killed during wildland fire incidents. This program mandates comprehensive support, including travel assistance for families, immediate access to case management and counseling, and clear information on all available federal benefits. It ensures a structured, coordinated federal response to provide timely and thorough assistance to survivors without altering existing death benefits.

The Spotted Lanternfly Research and Development Act prioritizes federal funding for research and extension programs specifically aimed at controlling the invasive Spotted Lanternfly. This legislation ensures that developing effective tools and treatments against this pest becomes a high-priority initiative. Additionally, the Act extends the authorization for several existing high-priority agricultural research programs until 2030.

The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2025 establishes a structured process for distributing up to 2,000 additional, federally funded residency positions annually between fiscal years 2026 and 2032. This distribution prioritizes hospitals serving in underserved areas, those already training above their limit, and those committed to primary care and general surgery training. The bill also mandates a study and report by the Comptroller General on effective strategies to increase diversity within the health professional workforce.

The Fire Department Repayment Act of 2025 seeks to expedite payments to local fire departments for fire suppression cost share agreements. It mandates federal agencies to establish standard payment timelines, revise existing agreements for compliance, and ensure alignment with cooperative fire protection agreements. The bill aims to reimburse local fire departments promptly, ideally within one year of fire suppression activities.

The GIVE MILK Act aims to address low dairy consumption among Americans, particularly children, by emphasizing milk's essential role in providing key nutrients like calcium and Vitamin D. This legislation specifically grants participants in the WIC program the direct choice of selecting their preferred type of milk—including whole, low-fat, reduced-fat, or nonfat—when receiving benefits. The Secretary of Agriculture is required to update regulations to implement this new participant choice.

This bill establishes the Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program to provide grants to states and tribes. These funds will help public water systems cover the water and sewer bills for eligible low-income households. The program aims to supplement existing aid by assisting families whose income is at or below 150% of the poverty level or 60% of the state median income. Funding is authorized at $500 million annually from fiscal years 2026 through 2030.

The Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act of 2025 establishes a program, led by the Secretary of the Interior, to systematically identify and restore federal lands damaged by unplanned disturbances like wildfires. This program requires the annual proposal of priority restoration projects, funded through grants and contracts, with an emphasis on partner collaboration. Furthermore, the Secretary must regularly report progress and funding needs for seed and seedling supply to Congress.

The Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to fund local initiatives focused on strengthening community mental wellness and resilience. This program offers planning grants followed by larger competitive program grants to established coordinating networks utilizing a public health approach. A mandatory 20% of funds are set aside to ensure support reaches rural areas.

The ABLE Employment Flexibility Act modifies retirement plan rules to allow eligible individuals with disabilities to direct employer contributions into their ABLE accounts instead of traditional retirement plans. This change aims to help working individuals save money without jeopardizing their eligibility for means-tested federal benefits. The bill also clarifies that employer contributions made directly to an ABLE account are treated as reasonable business expenses.