Legislative Activity

This resolution expresses support for designating March 18, 2025, as "National Agriculture Day." It recognizes and celebrates the significant impact of agriculture as a leading industry in the United States.

This bill honors Selfridge Air National Guard Base on its 108th anniversary, recognizing its historical significance, economic impact, and strategic importance to national security. It acknowledges the base's contributions to military operations, its role in homeland defense, and its selection for the KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft beddown. The bill also commends the personnel of Selfridge Air National Guard Base and encourages continued support and investment in the base.

The Major Richard Star Act ensures that military retirees with combat-related disabilities can receive both their military retirement pay and VA disability compensation concurrently without reduction. This law removes previous restrictions that caused military retirement pay to be offset by VA disability payments for these specific cases. The changes take effect on the first day of the month following the Act's enactment.

The Honey Integrity Act establishes a clear standard of identity for honey based on existing quality benchmarks. It mandates that commercial honey packers implement rigorous, scientifically advanced testing protocols to detect fraud and adulteration. Furthermore, the bill requires the Secretary to report on enforcement actions against mislabeled honey and establishes a new program funded by packer fees to ensure honey sold in the U.S. is authentic.

This resolution expresses the sense of Congress that Nigeria should be designated as a Country of Particular Concern due to severe violations of religious freedom. It urges the Nigerian government to protect religious minorities, prosecute those responsible for violence, and ensure religious freedom. The resolution also calls for increased U.S. diplomatic efforts and potential sanctions on individuals and groups responsible for religious freedom violations in Nigeria.

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act aims to improve support for individuals diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. This bill eliminates the standard waiting period for receiving Social Security disability insurance benefits and waives the 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage. These changes ensure immediate access to crucial financial and healthcare support upon diagnosis.

The Veterans Patient Advocacy Act ensures that veterans living in rural areas have reliable access to patient advocates at VA medical facilities. This requires the VA to assign advocates specifically to community-based outpatient clinics in rural locations. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs must implement these changes within two years, followed by a GAO review of the implementation progress.

The American Innovation and R&D Competitiveness Act of 2025 revises how businesses treat research and experimental (R&E) expenditures for tax purposes. Taxpayers can now choose between immediately deducting R&E costs or amortizing them over a period of at least 60 months. This legislation also makes technical adjustments to ensure consistency between immediate deductions and claiming the research tax credit.

The Arctic Watchers Act establishes a new "Arctic Watcher Program" managed by the Secretary of State to closely monitor security, economic, and political activities in the Arctic. This program is specifically tasked with tracking and countering influence operations from China and Russia that threaten U.S. interests. To achieve this, designated "Arctic Watchers" will be stationed in key allied countries to report annually on their efforts to protect U.S. strategic goals in the region.

This bill disapproves a recent rule issued by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (BCFP) concerning the use of medical information by creditors and consumer reporting agencies. Utilizing the Congressional Review Act, Congress nullifies this specific BCFP regulation. Consequently, the rejected rule will have no legal effect.

This bill expresses support for designating March 6, 2025, as "Great Lakes Day" to recognize the environmental and economic importance of the Great Lakes region. It highlights the Great Lakes' significance as a vital freshwater resource, economic driver, and ancestral home to Native American Tribes. The bill also supports initiatives like the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and encourages efforts to protect Lake St. Clair. Ultimately, it aims to raise awareness about the need to preserve and protect the Great Lakes for future generations.

This bill disapproves and invalidates the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule regarding overdraft lending practices of very large financial institutions. The rule, found in the Federal Register, is nullified by this disapproval.

This bill expresses condolences for the 67 lives lost in the American Eagle Flight 5342 and PAT 25 crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29, 2025. It recognizes the impact on Wichita, Kansas, and acknowledges the cooperation of officials in responding to the tragedy and assisting the families. The bill also commends the heroic actions of first responders and emergency services personnel.

The PLUS for Veterans Act of 2025 aims to protect veterans by clarifying who can assist with VA claims, reinstating penalties for charging unauthorized fees, and ensuring fair representation. It requires agents and attorneys to apply for recognition, limits fees for initial claims, and mandates transparency regarding free services available to veterans. The Act also overrides conflicting state laws to ensure consistent enforcement of these protections.

The "Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2025" freezes the wage rate for H-2A nonimmigrant workers at the level it was on December 31, 2023, through December 31, 2026. Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of Labor to use a primary duties evaluation when deciding the required wage for employees who perform multiple duties or tasks.

This bill authorizes the Speaker of the House and the President pro tempore of the Senate to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the 761st Tank Battalion, also known as the "Black Panthers," in recognition of their courageous service and crucial contributions during World War II. The medal will be given to the National Museum of African American History and Culture for display, honoring the 761st as the first Black soldiers to serve in an American armored unit and their significant role in the Allied victory in Europe. The bill also allows for the creation and sale of bronze duplicates of the medal to support the United States Mint Public Enterprise Fund.

The "Access Technology Affordability Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit for blind individuals who purchase qualified access technology, such as hardware or software that converts visual information into accessible formats. The credit is capped at $2,000 per blind individual over any three consecutive tax years and will be adjusted for inflation after 2026. This credit is effective for tax years starting after December 31, 2025, and expires after December 31, 2030. It ensures that individuals cannot claim double benefits for the same expenses.

The "Protecting Investors Personally Identifiable Information Act" prevents the SEC from requiring national securities exchanges or associations to provide personally identifiable information about market participants. Personally identifiable information includes data that can identify an individual, such as name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, phone number, email, and IP address. This ensures sensitive personal data is not part of consolidated audit trail reporting requirements.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to equalize the negotiation period for drug price negotiations under the Drug Price Negotiation Program. It changes the negotiation period for small-molecule drugs from 7 years to 11 years, matching the period already in place for biologic drugs. This adjustment aims to create parity in negotiation timelines between different types of medications, effective as if included in the original legislation.

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.