Legislative Activity

This bill establishes a new Feral Swine Eradication and Control Program under the Food Security Act of 1985 to combat the damage caused by wild pigs. The Secretary of Agriculture is required to study the damage, develop control and repair plans, and provide financial assistance to affected farmers, with federal cost-sharing capped at 75%. The program will be jointly managed by the NRCS and APHIS, utilizing university expertise and allocating $150 million over five fiscal years for implementation.

The STOP Screwworms Act mandates the establishment of facilities to rear and release sterile New World screwworm flies in high-risk areas to combat infestations. The Secretary of Agriculture must build these modular facilities within 180 days of enactment and provide annual public reports on the threat and control efforts. The bill authorizes up to $300 million to fund these necessary actions.

The FARMER Act adjusts federal premium support for certain whole-farm and enterprise-unit crop insurance plans, setting specific subsidy percentages for those options. It also increases the government's premium subsidy rate for the supplemental coverage option from 65% to 80%. Finally, the bill mandates a study on expanding the geographic scope of this supplemental coverage option.

The Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act restricts the Department of Veterans Affairs from automatically sharing a veteran's information with the DOJ for national background checks solely based on the appointment of a fiduciary. This bill prohibits the VA from classifying a veteran as a "mental defective" based only on an administrative finding of incompetence or the need for a fiduciary. Furthermore, the VA must notify the Attorney General if previously shared information based on fiduciary status is no longer valid.

The Emergency Care Improvement Act officially brings qualifying Freestanding Emergency Centers (FECs) into the standard Medicare and Medicaid coverage systems. This legislation ensures that these state-licensed facilities, which operate as full emergency departments, are reimbursed for providing specified emergency services. Furthermore, the Act explicitly includes FECs under the requirements of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).

This bill, the PROTECT the Second Amendment Act, prevents landlords of federally assisted rental housing from banning tenants who lawfully possess firearms within their private dwelling units. It ensures residents in subsidized housing can legally keep their firearms inside their apartments. The legislation also permits the transportation of firearms through common areas only when moving directly to or from the unit.

The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act) significantly amends federal law to require individuals registering to vote in federal elections to present documentary proof of U.S. citizenship. This legislation mandates that states actively clean their voter rolls and cooperate with federal agencies to verify citizenship status. It establishes new criminal penalties for officials who fail to enforce these documentation requirements.

The Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025 aims to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons and countering its support for terrorism by imposing sanctions on those involved in Iran's energy sector and those who provide financial support for its destabilizing activities. It mandates sanctions on foreign entities involved in processing, exporting, or selling Iranian oil, gas, and petrochemicals, while also establishing an interagency working group to coordinate and enforce these sanctions. The Act also amends existing legislation to require the identification of individuals involved in sanctionable activities or sanctions evasion related to Iranian oil and gas sales.

The 1071 Repeal to Protect Small Business Lending Act aims to eliminate the mandatory data collection and reporting requirements for small business loans previously established under Section 704B of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act. Proponents argue that these regulations impose unnecessary compliance costs on lenders, potentially hindering small business access to credit. This bill repeals those specific reporting mandates to reduce regulatory burdens on financial institutions.

The Maximum Pressure Act dramatically tightens and expands U.S. sanctions against Iran across its military, missile, and economic sectors, codifying existing restrictions and severely limiting the President's authority to grant sanctions relief. It mandates immediate sanctions on top Iranian officials and increases penalties for international parties aiding Iran's weapons programs. Furthermore, the bill enhances oversight by requiring numerous detailed reports to Congress regarding Iran's terrorism financing, nuclear timeline, and economic influence, while also redirecting certain frozen Iranian funds to victims of state-sponsored terrorism.

The Reducing Medically Unnecessary Delays in Care Act of 2025 aims to establish stricter federal standards for prior authorization decisions made by Medicare contractors and private Medicare plans. This bill mandates that coverage denials must be based on clear, evidence-based clinical criteria developed with input from practicing physicians. Furthermore, it requires plans to post their authorization rules online, provide advance notice of changes, and publicly report approval and denial statistics. Finally, all final denials of care must be reviewed and issued by a qualified, board-certified physician.

The Rural Veterinary Workforce Act aims to encourage more veterinarians to serve in underserved rural areas by making participation in certain loan repayment or forgiveness programs more financially appealing. This bill amends the tax code to exclude amounts received through qualifying state or federal veterinary student loan repayment programs from being counted as taxable income. This tax benefit applies to amounts received for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This resolution formally recognizes the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps in 2025. Congress is honoring the Corps' long history, core values of honor, courage, and commitment, and its consistent readiness to defend the nation. The bill encourages the public to join in celebrating this significant milestone and acknowledging the service and sacrifice of all Marines.

The Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025 establishes a national standard for carrying concealed handguns across state lines. This act allows individuals legally permitted to carry in their home state to carry concealed in any other state that allows its residents to carry concealed firearms. The law does not override private property restrictions or prohibitions on government property, but it provides protections and legal recourse for those traveling in compliance with the new federal standard.

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.

The Children’s Hospital GME Support Reauthorization Act of 2025 extends critical federal funding for graduate medical education programs at children's hospitals through fiscal year 2030. The bill increases annual funding allocations for the program during this extension period. Notably, it introduces a new restriction that prohibits payments to hospitals that provided certain gender-affirming surgeries and high-dose hormone treatments to minors in the preceding year, with specific exceptions for emergency care and treatment of certain medical conditions.

This bill seeks to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt "premium cigars" from certain FDA regulations. It defines a premium cigar based on strict criteria, including being hand-rolled and made entirely of natural tobacco leaf. The exemption is supported by findings that premium cigar use is rare, especially among youth, and poses lower health risks than other tobacco products.

The VOTE Act, or Voting Only Through English Act, restricts federal election funding for any state that provides ballots in languages other than English for federal elections. This bill eliminates existing federal requirements that mandate bilingual ballots or assistance in certain jurisdictions. Consequently, states choosing to offer multilingual ballots risk losing federal election administration funds for the entire fiscal year.

This bill officially designates the United States Postal Service facility located at 620 East Pecan Boulevard in McAllen, Texas, as the "Agent Raul H. Gonzalez Jr. Memorial Post Office Building." The legislation ensures that all official records and documents reflect this new memorial name for the building.

The DMEPOS Relief Act of 2025 extends the current Medicare transition payment rates for durable medical equipment in non-competitive bidding areas through the end of 2025. This action delays the implementation of new payment regulations until January 1, 2026. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is directed to maintain existing payment structures in these specific areas for the remainder of the year.