Legislative Activity

The Main Street Capital Access Act is a comprehensive bill designed to revitalize community banking by making it easier to start new banks, tailoring regulations to the size of financial institutions, and increasing transparency in bank supervision. It introduces regulatory relief for smaller banks, streamlines the application process, and reforms how bank failures are resolved to promote competition. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to reduce regulatory burdens and foster a more diverse and accessible financial system.

The Housing for the 21st Century Act is a comprehensive bill designed to significantly increase the supply of affordable housing by reforming restrictive zoning rules and streamlining federal construction approvals. It modernizes key federal programs, expands financing options for manufactured homes, and introduces new protections and support services for tenants and veterans. Overall, the legislation aims to reduce regulatory delays and lower construction costs to make housing more accessible nationwide.

This bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to convey a specific 0.81-acre parcel of Forest Service property in Perryville, Arkansas, to Perry County upon request. The transfer is free of charge, provided the county covers all associated costs and agrees to use the land exclusively for public purposes. If the land is no longer used for public benefit, the Secretary retains the discretion to reclaim ownership.

The Helping Individuals Rejoin Employment (HIRE) Act extends the Work Opportunity Tax Credit for five years, making it available for wages paid to qualified employees hired before January 1, 2031. This legislation also expands the credit by adding qualified Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) beneficiaries as a new eligible hiring group. These modifications aim to incentivize businesses to hire individuals facing employment barriers.

The Taiwan and American Space Assistance Act of 2025 directs NASA and NOAA to expand civilian space cooperation with Taiwan. This legislation mandates the initiation of discussions to collaborate on non-military space activities, including satellite programs and weather monitoring. The relevant agencies must report annually to Congress for five years on the progress and scope of this partnership.

This resolution expresses the strong concern of Congress regarding the urgent threats and severe restrictions on religious freedom facing Coptic Christians in Egypt. It highlights issues including unfair arrests, violence, and the abduction of women and girls, urging the Egyptian government to ensure equal rights and end impunity for attacks. While acknowledging the vital U.S.-Egypt partnership on security, the bill stresses that protecting human rights is essential to that relationship.

This resolution expresses the strong belief of Congress in the fundamental human right to religious freedom globally. It urges the U.S. to maintain diplomatic engagement with nations that severely restrict these freedoms to promote both societal prosperity and stable partnerships. The bill specifically highlights countries flagged for serious religious freedom violations and affirms the U.S. commitment to leading international efforts on this issue.

The Community Bank Deposit Access Act of 2025 creates a limited exception to deposit broker rules for certain custodial deposits held by eligible community banks. This provision allows these smaller, well-capitalized institutions to accept these specialized deposits without them counting against liability limits, provided they meet specific asset and rating criteria. Additionally, the bill imposes interest rate restrictions on covered institutions that accept these deposits while not being well capitalized.

The Price Stability Act of 2025 amends the Federal Reserve Act to revise the central bank's primary mission. This legislation removes the requirement for the Federal Reserve to pursue maximum employment as part of its official mandate. Moving forward, the Fed will be solely focused on achieving and maintaining stable prices.

This Act establishes a framework for financial institutions to safely test innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) products and services through designated "AI Test Projects." Regulated entities can apply to use alternative compliance methods for specific rules during these supervised tests, provided they demonstrate public benefit and manage risk. Federal financial regulators must review these applications, generally within 120 days, and issue annual reports to Congress on the outcomes of the testing.

The **Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act** is a comprehensive bill designed to establish clear regulatory frameworks for digital assets under the SEC and CFTC while strictly prohibiting the Federal Reserve from issuing a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). It creates specific rules for the offering, trading, and custody of digital commodities, aiming to foster innovation through regulatory clarity. Ultimately, the legislation seeks to protect individual self-custody rights and prevent the creation of a government-controlled digital currency that could enable mass surveillance.

The Countering Wrongful Detention Act of 2025 authorizes the Secretary of State to designate foreign countries as "State Sponsors of Unlawful or Wrongful Detention" if they illegally hold U.S. citizens. This designation triggers mandatory reviews of diplomatic and legal tools to deter such actions. Furthermore, Congress must approve these designations for them to remain in effect beyond six months.

The Revitalizing Investment, Savings, and Entrepreneurship (RISE) Act aims to encourage investment by capping the federal tax rate on a specific portion of adjusted net capital gains at 15 percent. This change modifies existing tax code provisions to provide a lower, predictable rate for certain investment profits.

The Fair Investment Opportunities for Professional Experts Act updates the definition of an "accredited investor" to expand access to certain investment opportunities. This bill lowers the net worth threshold to \$1 million while excluding a primary residence from the calculation, and it introduces new qualification paths based on specific income levels or professional financial licensing. The SEC is required to update its regulations to reflect these changes within 180 days of the Act's passage.

The Fair Audits and Inspections for Regulators’ Exams (FAIR Exams) Act establishes strict deadlines for federal regulators to complete financial examinations and issue reports. It also creates a new, independent Board to review complaints about examination practices and allows financial institutions to appeal "material supervisory determinations" *de novo*. Furthermore, the bill mandates faster regulatory responses to requests for permission or guidance and strengthens anti-retaliation protections for institutions using appeal rights.

The Flatside Wilderness Additions Act expands the existing Flatside Wilderness area in the Ouachita National Forest by approximately 2,212 acres. This legislation officially renames the designated area as the Flatside-Bethune Wilderness. The Act ensures that existing authorities for managing fire, insects, and disease within the wilderness remain intact.

The S-CAP Act of 2025 significantly increases the maximum number of shareholders a business can have while qualifying for S corporation tax status, raising the limit from 100 to 250. This change is designed to allow more small businesses to benefit from pass-through taxation. This new 250-shareholder limit will take effect for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The "Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act of 2025" postpones tax deadlines and waives penalties for U.S. nationals held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad, including their spouses, by disregarding the period of detention when determining tax liabilities. It requires the Secretary of State and the Attorney General to identify affected individuals and inform the Secretary of the Treasury. The Secretary of the Treasury will establish a program for eligible individuals to apply for a refund or abatement of penalties and fines related to the "applicable period" from January 1, 2021, to the date this law is enacted. This ensures that those who have been held hostage or wrongfully detained are not penalized for their inability to meet tax obligations during their captivity.

The "International Nuclear Energy Financing Act of 2025" aims to promote nuclear energy by directing the Secretary of the Treasury to advocate for the removal of prohibitions on financial and technical assistance for nuclear energy generation and distribution at international development banks. It also seeks to establish "Nuclear Energy Assistance Trust Funds" to provide financial and technical support for nuclear energy projects in borrowing countries, ensuring competitive financing and adherence to U.S. or allied standards. The Act requires annual reporting on these efforts and will terminate 10 years after enactment.

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.