Legislative Activity

The Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act of 2025 amends existing grant programs to support and expand wood products manufacturing and biomass energy facilities. It increases funding, expands project eligibility, and raises grant limits for both the Community Wood Facilities Grant Program and the Wood Innovations Grant Program. The act aims to bolster the wood products industry and promote the use of biomass energy by supporting the construction and enhancement of related facilities.

The PARA–EMT Act of 2025 addresses the critical shortage of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and paramedics by establishing grant programs to support the recruitment, training, and retention of EMS personnel, with a focus on rural areas and veterans. It directs the Department of Labor, in coordination with Health and Human Services, to study the EMT and paramedic workforce and provide recommendations to Congress on addressing projected shortages. The Act aims to improve access to and enhance the quality of emergency medical services nationwide.

The "Helping Heroes Act" establishes a Veteran Family Resource Program within the Department of Veterans Affairs to better connect veterans and their families with resources and support. It mandates the appointment of family coordinators in each Veterans Integrated Service Network to help veterans and their families navigate available resources, and requires regular surveys of disabled veterans and their families to identify their needs. The Act also ensures that all programs and activities funded by it adhere to federal nondiscrimination laws.

The "Cutting Red Tape on Child Care Providers Act of 2025" aims to improve children's nutrition by removing obstacles that child care providers face when serving fresh fruits and vegetables. It defines "simple food preparation" as basic preparation of produce. The Act prohibits states from creating barriers to this simple preparation in child care facilities through amendments to the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990. This will allow providers to easily offer healthier food options.

The Rural Veterans Transportation to Care Act expands the Department of Veterans Affairs' transportation grant program to include rural areas, not just highly rural ones. It broadens the range of eligible grant recipients to include county veterans service organizations and tribal organizations. The bill also increases the maximum grant amount to $60,000, with a possible increase to $80,000 for vehicle purchases needed to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act and authorizes necessary funding by removing the previous funding limit.

The Farmland Security Act of 2025 aims to enhance transparency and oversight of foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land. It increases penalties for foreign-owned shell corporations that fail to disclose their agricultural land holdings, mandates compliance audits and training for relevant personnel, and requires the Secretary to report to Congress on key trends in foreign agricultural investment. The Act authorizes \$2,000,000 annually from 2025-2030 to support these activities.

The "Water Systems PFAS Liability Protection Act" shields water and wastewater treatment facilities from CERCLA liability for PFAS releases if they comply with applicable laws and handle PFAS during or after water treatment. This protection covers specific non-polymeric PFAS and applies to public water systems, treatment works, and related entities. The exemption does not apply in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.

The Carried Interest Fairness Act of 2025 modifies tax rules for partnership interests, especially for those providing investment management services. It reclassifies certain capital gains as ordinary income for partners providing investment services, and sets rules for valuing partnership interests transferred for services. The bill also includes a 40% penalty for underpayments due to attempts to avoid these new rules. These changes generally apply to taxable years ending after the enactment date.

The "Truth in Tuition Act of 2025" mandates that colleges provide students with clear information about tuition costs, either through a multi-year tuition schedule or a single-year schedule accompanied by a multi-year cost estimate. Colleges opting for single-year schedules must also disclose the historical accuracy of their estimates. The Secretary of Education has the authority to waive these requirements under specific circumstances. This act aims to provide students with greater transparency and predictability regarding the cost of their education.

The "Fairness for the Trades Act" expands the permitted uses of 529 education savings accounts to include expenses related to tools and equipment necessary to start a qualified business trade. These trades are defined by specific North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes and the equipment must be tangible and depreciable. This change applies to taxable years beginning after the enactment of this Act.

The "Reliability for Ratepayers Act" modifies employee compensation and hiring rules at the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to address retention and hiring issues. It requires the BPA administrator to create a compensation plan based on surveys of similar jobs in the electric industry, and allows the BPA to hire physicians and experts without regard to certain civil service laws. The goal is to ensure that total compensation for BPA employees is comparable to similar positions at consumer-owned utilities to attract and retain qualified staff.

The "BRIDGE to Congress Resolution" amends House rules to eliminate the requirement that remote witness appearances at committee proceedings are only allowed at the discretion of the committee chair, allowing for more flexible participation.

This bill establishes a Select Committee on Electoral Reform to examine and recommend improvements to congressional election methods. The committee will investigate alternative election systems like proportional representation, ranked-choice voting, and open primaries, and will study potential changes to redistricting and the size of the House of Representatives. It must submit a final report with recommendations to Congress and the President within one year. The Select Committee will not have legislative jurisdiction.