Legislative Activity

The Converting Our Waste Sustainably (COWS) Act of 2025 aims to expand successful manure management programs by formally defining and incentivizing "alternative manure management practices" and "composting practices" within the Food Security Act. This bill directs the USDA Secretary to establish new payment structures, prioritize applications that maximize carbon sequestration and emissions reductions, and provide technical assistance for these sustainable farming methods. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to improve environmental health, soil quality, and air quality across the nation's livestock industry.

This resolution expresses support for recognizing the 1984 Sikh Genocide, acknowledging the systemic violence, trauma, and destruction inflicted upon the Sikh community. It calls for accountability for the perpetrators, including government officials and state institutions involved in the attacks. Furthermore, the bill establishes a U.S. policy to officially recognize this event and rejects any association with its denial.

The Combatting Fentanyl Poisonings Act of 2025 establishes several new grant programs managed by the Attorney General to address the fentanyl crisis. These grants will fund local law enforcement efforts to stop social media drug sales, support non-profit organizations in running public awareness campaigns, and equip officers to safely handle fentanyl exposure. The Act specifically allocates funds for enforcement, education, and officer protection related to the dangers of fentanyl.

The Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act streamlines the process for developing geothermal energy on lands where the federal government owns less than half of the subsurface resources. This bill exempts certain geothermal projects from requiring a federal drilling permit if a state permit is already secured. Consequently, these projects are generally excluded from major federal environmental reviews under NEPA and the Endangered Species Act. However, the bill maintains the federal government's right to collect royalties and conduct oversight on production measurements.

The Redistricting Reform Act of 2025 fundamentally overhauls congressional map-drawing by mandating the use of independent, non-partisan commissions in every state. This legislation establishes strict, prioritized criteria for map creation, explicitly banning partisan manipulation and requiring maps to prioritize community representation over political advantage. Furthermore, it sets firm deadlines for map enactment and establishes clear federal court procedures to intervene if states fail to adopt a lawful plan. Overall, the bill aims to ensure fairer congressional representation by removing map-drawing authority from state legislatures.

The "Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act" expands Medicare coverage to include FDA-approved multi-cancer early detection screening tests starting in 2028. It defines the criteria for these tests, sets payment guidelines, and establishes age and frequency limitations for coverage. The bill ensures that existing cancer screening coverage remains unaffected and allows for waivers of limitations based on recommendations from the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

This bill reauthorizes and extends funding for the crucial telehealth network and telehealth resource centers grant programs through fiscal year 2030. It secures \$42,050,000 annually for these programs to continue supporting and expanding telehealth infrastructure nationwide.

The Pay Our Troops Act of 2026 ensures that active duty military personnel and essential civilian support staff continue to receive their pay if Congress has not yet passed the full budget for fiscal year 2026. This act provides automatic continuing appropriations from the Treasury to prevent a lapse in military salaries due to budget delays. The funding automatically terminates once a new budget or continuing resolution is passed, or on January 1, 2027, whichever comes first.

The American Franchise Act aims to protect the traditional franchise business model by clarifying the definition of a "joint employer." This legislation establishes that a franchisor is only considered a joint employer if it exercises "substantial direct and immediate control" over the essential terms of employment for a franchisee's workers. This change specifically targets liability risks associated with maintaining brand standards, ensuring franchisors are not automatically held responsible for local labor practices. The new standard applies prospectively to future legal proceedings.

The Unleashing Low-Cost Rural AI Act mandates a comprehensive study by the Secretary of Energy to assess the impact of growing AI and data center infrastructure on the nation's energy supply. This study must specifically examine energy needs, alternative power sources, and consumer costs, with a special focus on frontier and remote areas. The goal is to identify supply gaps and explore ways to expedite necessary infrastructure permitting.

The UNLOCK Act amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to expand how federal housing funds can be used. This legislation now allows local entities to directly use these funds for the construction of new housing specifically for low- and moderate-income residents. The bill removes the requirement for these entities to partner with a nonprofit organization to carry out the new construction projects.

The Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act significantly expands federal authority to detect, track, and neutralize unauthorized drones posing threats to critical infrastructure and national airspace. The bill establishes new coordination requirements between the Department of Homeland Security, the FAA, and the Department of Justice for deploying counter-drone technology, including restrictions on foreign-made equipment. It also creates pilot programs allowing state and local law enforcement to use drone mitigation technology at specific sites and events. Finally, the legislation mandates new safety reporting requirements for drone manufacturers and sets an expiration date of October 1, 2030, for most of the new authorities granted.

This bill establishes a new grant program administered by the Secretary of Agriculture to help specialty crop producers become more competitive. These grants will assist eligible entities in purchasing advanced mechanized or automated equipment and providing necessary training for its use. Recipients must provide matching funds equal to at least 50 percent of the total project cost. The covered technology ranges widely, including harvesting tools, sorting machinery, traceability systems, and advanced IoT and robotic equipment.

The Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion and Development Program Act of 2025 establishes a program for the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to eligible organizations. These grants will fund domestic market development programs, including advertising and promotion activities, for domestically produced specialty crops. Recipients must submit a marketing plan and provide non-Federal matching funds of at least 25%. The Act authorizes $75 million annually for this purpose starting in fiscal year 2026.

The Specialty Crop Domestic Market Promotion and Development Program Act of 2025 establishes a new federal grant program to boost the domestic market for U.S.-grown specialty crops. The Secretary of Agriculture will award funds to eligible organizations to execute approved marketing and development projects. Recipients must provide non-Federal matching funds and adhere to strict spending guidelines monitored through annual reviews and audits.

The Farm Credit Adjustment Act grants the Farm Credit Administration the option to extend mandatory examination cycles for low-risk Farm Credit System institutions from the current frequency to once every 24 months. This change provides regulatory flexibility for institutions deemed stable by the FCA. This new examination option will take effect starting October 1, 2026.

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 VISIBLE Act mandates that federal immigration enforcement officers, such as those from CBP and ICE, must clearly display their agency name and either their last name or badge number during all public-facing civil immigration enforcement activities. This requirement ensures officers are easily identifiable to the public from a distance, promoting transparency and public trust. The law also establishes disciplinary procedures for non-compliance and requires annual reporting to Congress on enforcement activities and violations.

The WAGER Act of 2025 simplifies the statutory language regarding the deduction of gambling losses for federal tax purposes. This amendment clarifies the existing rule that limits the deduction of gambling losses to the amount of gambling winnings. This change will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The SAVES Act establishes a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations that provide service dogs to eligible veterans. These grants, up to $\$2,000,000$ each, will fund the training and provision of service dogs for veterans with qualifying conditions like PTSD or TBI. The bill also extends the expiration date for certain limits on veterans' pension payments until February 2033.