Legislative Activity

The Stop the Rate Hikes Act limits electric utilities to requesting a retail rate increase only once per year. This measure aims to provide consumers with greater stability by restricting how frequently utility companies can seek to raise electricity rates.

The Quiet Communities Act of 2025 addresses the growing public health crisis caused by noise pollution by reestablishing the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Noise Abatement and Control. This office will be tasked with researching noise impacts, supporting state and local noise control efforts through technical assistance and grants, and conducting a specific study on aircraft noise. The Act authorizes \$25 million annually through Fiscal Year 2030 to fund these critical national noise reduction initiatives.

The Home Health Stabilization Act of 2025 aims to ensure continued access to Medicare home health services by pausing automatic payment reductions scheduled for 2026 and 2027. This is achieved by mandating a positive adjustment to the standard payment rate to fully offset proposed cuts. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that these temporary payment increases will not negatively impact future rate calculations for providers.

The FEMA Act of 2025 establishes the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as an independent, cabinet-level agency to lead a unified, all-hazards approach to national emergency management. The bill enacts sweeping reforms across Public Assistance, Individual Assistance, and Mitigation programs to accelerate recovery, streamline funding, and reduce bureaucratic hurdles for disaster survivors and communities. Furthermore, it mandates significant new transparency measures, including public data reporting and GAO oversight, to ensure accountability for federal disaster spending.

The Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act of 2025 urges the Chinese government to enhance controls over precursor chemicals used in fentanyl production through cooperation, stricter shipping rules, and "know-your-customer" requirements. The bill also expands the definition of a "foreign opioid trafficker" under existing sanctions law to specifically target certain Chinese entities and officials who facilitate or fail to stop illicit opioid trafficking. Furthermore, it imposes new reporting and regulatory standards on the President when using emergency economic powers related to international drug trafficking. Finally, the Act explicitly prohibits using the sanctions authorized by this law to block the importation of general goods.

The Haiti Criminal Collusion Transparency Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of State to annually report on the links between Haitian criminal gangs and the nation's political and economic elites. Based on these findings, the President must impose sanctions, including asset freezes and visa bans, on identified foreign individuals. The law is designed to expose and penalize collusion that threatens U.S. interests and the Haitian people, with provisions set to expire after five years.

The Save our Safety-Net Hospitals Act of 2025 modifies how states calculate Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) payments under Medicaid to ensure hospitals receive appropriate supplemental funding. This bill updates eligibility criteria by changing which patient costs are included in the DSH calculation formula. Furthermore, it allows states to use previously unspent federal DSH funds to increase payments for certain past rate years, provided they adhere to existing allotment caps.

The Protecting Young Minds Online Act mandates the Center for Mental Health Services to develop and implement a national strategy. This strategy will specifically address the impact of new technologies, such as social media, on the mental health of children. The goal is to equip local communities with the resources needed to manage these effects.

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.

The Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act of 2025 prohibits the Department of Transportation (DOT) from procuring or contracting for the use of certain foreign-made LiDAR technology identified in related defense legislation. This ban applies to purchases, contracts, and the use of federal loan or grant funds for this restricted technology, generally beginning in mid-2026. The Secretary of Transportation may only waive this prohibition if it is certified to be in the national interest of the United States. Certain safety testing and regulatory exemption activities remain exempt from these restrictions.

The PAAW Act, or Preventing Animal Abuse and Waste Act, prohibits the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from conducting or supporting research that causes significant pain or distress to dogs and cats. This ban specifically targets studies categorized as causing pain levels D or E according to established animal welfare standards. The prohibition takes effect 90 days after the Act is officially enacted into law.

The Infertility Treatment Affordability Act of 2025 establishes a new federal tax credit equal to 50% of qualified expenses paid for infertility treatments. This credit is subject to annual limits and income phase-outs, with up to $\$5,000$ being potentially refundable. The Act aims to reduce the financial burden of fertility care for eligible individuals and families.

This bill reauthorizes the Integrated Coastal and Ocean Observation System Act of 2009 through fiscal year 2030, authorizing $56 million annually for FY 2026-2030. It makes administrative updates by replacing "Council" with "Committee" throughout the Act and clarifies the system's scope to include operational oceanography measurements. Furthermore, it mandates that federal agencies develop rules to ensure data sharing between regional offices and federally funded projects with local coastal observing systems.

The Saving Vet Halls Act of 2025 establishes a new grant program administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. This program provides funding to Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs) specifically for repairing facilities and upgrading technology. Grants are capped at $\$75,000$ or the total project cost (whichever is higher), and organizations receiving funds are ineligible to reapply for five years. The legislation authorizes $\$10$ million to support these essential improvements for VSOs.

The Abraham Accords Defense Against Terror Act expedites security assistance and defense sales to Middle Eastern and North African countries that have normalized relations with Israel and cooperate against Iranian threats. This process requires a shortened 15-day congressional notification period from the President for approved transfers. Furthermore, the State Department must submit regular, public reports detailing the security strategy, threat assessments, and progress in countering Iranian proxies. Crucially, the Act ensures that these provisions do not undermine Israel's qualitative military edge.

This bill amends the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to explicitly clarify that time taken off for an employee's own organ donation surgery qualifies as a serious health condition. This ensures both private and federal sector workers receive FMLA protection for recovery from organ donation. The legislation also specifies how federal employees must substitute existing paid leave when taking FMLA time for this purpose.

The Living Donor Protection Act of 2025 prohibits life, disability, and long-term care insurance companies from denying coverage or increasing premiums solely because an individual is a living organ donor. This legislation ensures that living donors are not financially penalized for their altruistic act. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of HHS to update educational materials to accurately reflect the insurance protections afforded to living donors.

The Teachers Utilizing Tutoring Opportunities for Relief Act (TUTOR Act) establishes a new federal tax credit for eligible teachers who provide qualified academic tutoring outside of regular school hours. This credit offers a base amount of \$500, with the potential for an additional \$500 bonus for teachers who complete over 150 hours of tutoring annually. The provision is designed to incentivize and reward teachers for providing supplemental instruction in math, reading/writing, or science through the end of 2032.

The Improving Disaster Assistance for Veterans Act establishes a dedicated Veterans Advocate position within FEMA to ensure fair treatment of veterans under existing disaster relief laws. This Advocate will coordinate with veterans service organizations and promote veteran hiring within FEMA during disaster responses. The bill focuses on improving access to current assistance, not authorizing new types of aid.

The Removing Burdens From Organ Donation Act mandates that hospitals electronically notify organ procurement agencies when a patient is declared deceased or near death. This law also grants these agencies electronic access to the potential donor's health records upon the update of the death status. Exemptions are available for hospitals facing significant hardship, cybersecurity attacks, or disaster situations. The Secretary must also issue guidance on best practices for implementing these new electronic notification procedures.