Legislative Activity

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.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to disallow both the production tax credit and the investment tax credit for offshore wind facilities placed in service in the inland navigable waters or coastal waters of the United States. These changes will be effective for energy produced and property placed in service after December 31, 2025.

The DEFUND Act of 2025 terminates U.S. membership in the United Nations and all affiliated organizations, repeals existing acts that enable U.S. participation, and prohibits future funding or involvement in UN activities, including peacekeeping operations and conventions. It also revokes diplomatic immunity for UN personnel within the U.S. and requires the Secretary of State to notify the UN of these changes. The bill further prevents the U.S. from reentering the UN without Senate approval and a guaranteed right to withdraw.

The "Make American Flags in America Act of 2025" mandates that U.S. flags displayed on Federal property or bought by Federal agencies be entirely manufactured in the U.S. using 100% U.S.-made materials, in accordance with international agreements. It also directs the Federal Trade Commission to study and report on country-of-origin labeling enforcement for U.S. flags, aiming to improve enforcement and deter violations.

The "Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025" extends the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000, providing continued financial support to states and counties with federal lands through 2026. It extends secure payments, distribution of payments, and the authority for special projects on federal land. Additionally, it extends the Resource Advisory Committee pilot program and makes several technical corrections to the original Act.

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 "Protect America's Lands Act" prevents national securities exchanges from handling transactions of securities issued by "natural asset companies." These companies manage land for conservation and aim to enhance the value of natural assets and ecosystem services. The bill defines specific criteria for what constitutes a "natural asset company" to ensure the prohibition is appropriately applied.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to require certain adults on Medicaid to complete 80 hours per month of work, community service, or a work program to maintain eligibility. Federal funding to states would be denied for those who do not meet this "community engagement requirement" for at least 3 months of the year. Certain individuals, such as those under 18 or over 65, pregnant individuals, and those with disabilities, are exempt from this requirement. States have the option to disenroll individuals if federal funding is unavailable due to non-compliance.

The DRIVE Act of 2025 ensures that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) travel reimbursement rate for veterans' medical appointments will never fall below the standard federal employee mileage rate. This legislation mandates that the VA must process and pay these mileage allowances within 90 days of a veteran submitting a complete request. Essentially, the bill aims to increase equity and speed in compensating veterans for necessary travel to VA healthcare.

The "Midnight Rules Relief Act" allows Congress to group together and vote on multiple resolutions disapproving regulations finalized during a President's last year in office. This enables Congress to overturn several "midnight rules" with a single vote. The joint resolution would specify the rules being disapproved and declare that those rules have no legal authority.

The "National Right-to-Work Act" amends both the National Labor Relations Act and the Railway Labor Act to protect an employee's right to choose whether or not to join or support a labor union. It eliminates the possibility of mandatory union membership or dues payments as a condition of employment, ensuring that employees cannot be forced to join or support a union against their will.

The "Grazing for Wildfire Risk Reduction Act" aims to reduce wildfire risks by directing the Secretary of Agriculture to expand the use of livestock grazing on Forest Service land. The plan includes strategies such as expediting environmental reviews for grazing permits, employing targeted grazing, and increasing the use of temporary permits for fuels reduction and invasive species control. It also promotes grazing as a post-fire recovery tool and utilizes all available legal authorities to achieve these goals.

The "Protecting the Second Amendment in Financial Services Act" prevents banks and credit card companies from using specific merchant codes that would identify businesses selling firearms or ammunition. This ensures that financial institutions cannot track or discriminate against legal firearm-related transactions.

This bill transfers the functions, assets, and responsibilities for implementing the Food for Peace Act from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). The Secretary of Agriculture will now administer the program, though the Famine Early Warning Systems Network will remain under USDA control. This change allows the USDA to quickly update necessary rules to ensure a smooth transition of the program.

The Federal Lands and Waters Leasing Transparency Act aims to increase transparency in oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters. It requires the Secretary of Interior to provide detailed reports to bidders on offshore oil and gas leases when their bids are rejected and protects existing leases from legal challenges. Additionally, the Act sets a 60-day deadline for the Secretary of Interior to issue onshore oil and gas leases, regardless of court orders, unless issuing the lease would violate federal law. Finally, the Act ensures that court findings of noncompliance in offshore lease sales do not invalidate existing leases or delay related development plans and permit applications.

The WEST Act of 2025 nullifies the Bureau of Land Management's Conservation and Landscape Health rule. This prevents the rule from being implemented.

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 "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 "Family Farm and Small Business Exemption Act" amends the Higher Education Act of 1965 to exclude the net value of a family farm (on which the family resides) or a small business (with no more than 100 employees and owned/controlled by the family) from consideration as an asset when determining financial need for federal student aid. This change aims to make higher education more accessible for students from family farm and small business backgrounds.

The "No Kill Switches in Cars Act" repeals a section of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The repealed section required the Department of Transportation to create a rule mandating that all new cars have advanced drunk and impaired driving prevention technology. This bill prohibits the government from requiring car manufacturers to install kill switches in vehicles.