Legislative Activity

The "Transparency and Honesty in Energy Regulations Act" prohibits federal agencies from considering the "social cost" of greenhouse gases like carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide when making decisions. It requires federal agencies to report to Congress on past uses of these cost estimates in rulemakings and other actions. This bill aims to prevent these cost estimates from influencing cost-benefit analyses and other agency actions.

The School Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (SIFIA) introduces "SIFIA bonds," which offer tax credits to bondholders to finance the construction and renovation of net-zero energy public schools through public-private partnerships. These bonds are subject to various requirements, including project spending timelines, private entity qualifications, and reporting on project costs and benefits. The total face amount of SIFIA bonds is capped at $10 billion, with allocations for rural projects and limits per school district. The Department of the Treasury allocates bond authority and can directly purchase bonds that issuers cannot sell.

The "Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act" enables individuals with valid concealed carry permits or the legal right to carry concealed firearms in their home state to do so across state lines, provided they are not federally prohibited from possessing firearms and carry a valid photo ID. This law respects private and state/local government restrictions on firearms, protects individuals from unwarranted arrest, and allows legal action for violations of these rights. It also permits concealed carry in National Parks and other federal lands open to the public and clarifies that handguns include magazines and ammunition.

This bill extends the legislative authority of the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs. It modifies Public Law 115-275, pushing the expiration date for certain actions related to the memorial's establishment to November 3, 2032.

The SPEED for BEAD Act amends the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to streamline broadband deployment grants. It renames the "Equity" program to "Expansion," allows funds for workforce development, and permits removal of high-cost locations from project areas. The act also prohibits certain conditions related to labor, climate change, and network management, and ensures consideration of all broadband technologies.

The PLASMA Act, or the Preserving Life-saving Access to Specialty Medicines in America Act, introduces a phased-in approach for manufacturer discounts on plasma-derived products under Medicare Part D, starting in 2026. The discounted price will be a percentage of the negotiated price, with the percentage varying based on whether the beneficiary has met their annual out-of-pocket threshold. Certain beneficiaries and small manufacturers are exempt from these discount requirements.

The "Protect Medicaid Act" prohibits federal Medicaid funding for state administrative costs associated with providing healthcare benefits to unauthorized immigrants. It requires a report from the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services on how states that offer health benefits to non-lawfully admitted noncitizens handle Medicaid program administration costs separately. The report will also cover how these states fund programs for non-lawfully admitted noncitizens and analyze the impact of these non-lawfully admitted noncitizens receiving outpatient drugs purchased under the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program or the 340B drug discount program.

The "Love Lives On Act of 2025" amends titles 10 and 38 of the United States Code to improve benefits and services for surviving spouses. This act modifies Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) rules, allowing surviving spouses who remarry to still receive benefits. Additionally, it ensures continued Survivor Benefit Plan annuity payments for certain remarried surviving spouses and expands TRICARE eligibility to include remarried widow/widowers whose subsequent marriage ended.

The "Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act" extends the Congressional Award Act until October 1, 2028. It modifies the requirements for the Congressional Award medals, removing specific material requirements. Additionally, it makes a minor technical correction to subsection (f)(1) of the original act.