Legislative Activity

The "No Deductions for Marijuana Businesses Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to prohibit businesses involved in marijuana or controlled substance trafficking from claiming tax deductions or credits for their expenses. This restriction applies regardless of whether the business is violating federal or state law. The change will be effective for expenses paid after the bill is enacted.

The NIH Reform Act divides the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases into three separate entities: the National Institute of Allergic Diseases, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and the National Institute of Immunologic Diseases. It requires the President to appoint directors for each new institute. The act outlines the research focus of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the National Institute of Immunologic Diseases. It directs the NIH Director to manage the transition and makes necessary amendments to reflect these changes.

The LIABLE Act removes federal immunity and liability limitations for COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, allowing individuals to sue for losses caused by the vaccines. Individuals can still seek compensation through existing federal programs, and doing so does not prevent civil action. This applies to any COVID-19 vaccine licensed or authorized by the FDA and is retroactive.

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 Supporting the Local Radio Freedom Act prevents Congress from imposing new performance fees on local radio stations for playing music. It emphasizes the mutually beneficial relationship between broadcasters and the recording industry, where radio provides free publicity that boosts music sales and supports artists. The act recognizes local radio's crucial role in communities by providing news, weather updates, and public service announcements. Ultimately, this bill aims to protect local radio stations and businesses from economic harm, ensuring they can continue serving their communities without additional financial burdens.

The "Promoting American Patriotism In Our Schools Act" mandates that schools receiving federal funds must require daily Pledge of Allegiance recitation, prominently display the U.S. flag in classrooms and gyms, and provide education on the flag's history. Individuals can abstain from reciting the Pledge for religious or personal reasons. Non-compliant schools will face enforcement by the Secretary.

The "Combating Illicit Xylazine Act" aims to combat the illegal use of xylazine by adding it to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, which would allow for increased regulation and tracking of the substance. The bill includes exemptions and delayed effective dates for certain requirements to ease the transition for legitimate users, such as veterinarians and animal handlers. It also directs the Sentencing Commission to review sentencing guidelines for xylazine-related offenses and mandates reports to Congress on the prevalence and impact of illicit xylazine use. Finally, it will include xylazine in Arcos tracking.

This bill repeals the Impoundment Control Act of 1974, eliminating the requirements for the President to report to Congress on decisions to withhold or delay spending of appropriated funds. This removes the process by which Congress can approve or disapprove of these presidential actions.

The "Protecting Privacy in Purchases Act" prevents payment card networks from assigning a unique merchant category code to firearm retailers. The Attorney General is responsible for enforcing the Act, investigating complaints, and reporting to Congress. This law overrides state and local laws regarding merchant category codes for firearm retailers and does not establish a private right of action.

The "Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow's Workforce Act" amends Section 529 savings accounts to include expenses related to postsecondary credentialing programs. This allows 529 funds to cover costs like tuition, fees, books, supplies, and testing fees for recognized programs and credentials, as defined by the bill. These changes would apply to distributions made after the bill is enacted.

The Direct Medical Care Freedom Act of 2025 clarifies that direct medical care arrangements, where individuals pay a fixed periodic fee for medical services from practitioners, are not considered health plans under the Internal Revenue Code. It allows fees paid for these arrangements to be treated as medical expenses and mandates that fees for arrangements provided through employment are reported on employee W2 forms. This applies to primary care, specialty care, or other subsets of medical services, and will take effect for months beginning after December 31, 2024.

The "Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act" repeals the inclusion of Social Security benefits in gross income, effectively ending the taxation of these benefits for taxable years beginning after the enactment of this law. The Act mandates the allocation of funds each fiscal year to the Social Security Act or the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, ensuring these programs are not negatively impacted by the tax elimination. The amount allocated must equal the reduction in transfers to these funds because of the change. Congress intends to offset the revenue reduction without raising taxes.

The "Prison Rape Prevention Act of 2025" mandates that the Bureau of Prisons house and transport prisoners based on biological sex. It defines biological sex as the natural reproductive system of male or female individuals, even with developmental or genetic anomalies. The bill prohibits the Bureau of Prisons from providing or funding gender-related medical treatments, with specific exclusions for certain disorders of sex development or ambiguous biological sex characteristics. "Gender" is explicitly defined to mean the natural differences between males and females, not gender identity or expression.

The "Fair Access to Banking Act" aims to prevent financial institutions from denying services to legal businesses based on subjective or political reasons. It prohibits large banks, credit unions, and payment card networks from discriminating against legal businesses and requires them to provide fair access to financial services based on impartial, risk-based standards. Financial institutions that violate these provisions may face penalties, including ineligibility for taxpayer-funded discount window lending programs and civil penalties. Individuals or businesses who are unfairly denied services can sue the financial institution in U.S. district court.

The "PATROL Act" prevents the Department of Justice from suing states for building barriers along their borders to prevent illegal immigration and protect their territory. This bill specifically applies to civil actions under Section 9 or 10 of the Act of March 3, 1899, concerning unauthorized obstruction of navigable waters. The term "barrier" includes physical structures like walls, fences, or floating buoys.

The "Protection of Women in Olympic and Amateur Sports Act" amends Title 36 of the United States Code to define "female" and "male" based on reproductive systems. It stipulates that individuals whose sex is male are prohibited from participating in amateur athletic competitions designated for females.

The "Time of Service Act" amends Title 38 of the U.S. Code to eliminate the time limitation for certain veterans to use their Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefits. This change is achieved by adjusting the start date in the U.S. Code, allowing more veterans access to these benefits regardless of when they left the service.

This bill terminates the Department of Education, effectively eliminating the department on December 31, 2026.

The BLOCK Act repeals several Elementary and Secondary Education Act grant programs, replacing them with block grants to states starting in fiscal year 2026. The amount of the block grants will match the amount the state received in fiscal year 2025 under the repealed programs. This change aims to provide states with more flexibility in using federal education funds. "State" is defined as the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.

The "Ensuring Justice for Victims of Partial-Birth Abortion Act" mandates the Attorney General to investigate potential violations of the partial-birth abortion ban, including the remains of five babies discovered in Washington, D.C., and requires mandatory reporting of violations by healthcare workers. It also directs the Attorney General to produce an annual report on enforcement actions related to the partial-birth abortion ban and tasks the Comptroller General with reviewing past enforcement actions and providing recommendations for improvement.