Legislative Activity

This resolution supports the goals of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week by formally recognizing the critical, life-saving work performed by 911 dispatchers and other public safety telecommunications professionals. It highlights the immense emotional toll of their round-the-clock shifts, where their initial actions often set the entire emergency response in motion. The bill encourages all Americans to acknowledge the vital role these professionals play in public safety and emergency situations.

The Preserve Access to Affordable Generics and Biosimilars Act aims to increase competition in the pharmaceutical market by banning anticompetitive "pay-for-delay" settlements between brand-name drug manufacturers and generic or biosimilar makers. This legislation empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to penalize companies that make deals to illegally delay cheaper drug entry. Furthermore, the bill enhances reporting requirements and clarifies the FTC's authority to enforce these new competition rules.

This Act officially establishes the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum and grants it the authority to be located on the National Mall. It mandates that the museum's exhibits and programs must accurately reflect the diverse cultures, histories, and political viewpoints of American women. Furthermore, the Smithsonian must report to Congress on its efforts to ensure this comprehensive representation.

The Stop STALLING Act empowers the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take action against companies that file baseless petitions solely to delay competitors' generic drug applications. This legislation defines such filings as unfair competition, allowing the FTC to seek significant civil penalties against violators. The bill ensures that if one part is struck down, the remainder of the law remains in effect.

The Youth Mental Health Research Act establishes a new, collaborative initiative led by the NIH and NIMH to significantly boost research on youth mental health. This effort will focus on understanding social and behavioral factors that build resilience and improving the delivery of mental health treatments in community settings. Congress has authorized $100 million annually for this research through fiscal year 2030.

The Protect Elections from Deceptive AI Act prohibits knowingly distributing materially deceptive AI-generated audio or visual media related to a federal election campaign to influence the outcome. This ban specifically targets content that would cause a reasonable person to fundamentally misunderstand what a candidate said or did, or falsely depicts their appearance. Exceptions are made for legitimate news reporting, satire, and parody, provided clear disclaimers are included where applicable. Candidates affected by illegal distribution can seek immediate court injunctions to stop the content and sue for damages.

The Volunteer Driver Tax Appreciation Act of 2025 updates the tax deduction available for volunteer driving. This bill requires the charitable mileage rate to be set at a minimum equal to the standard business mileage rate, ensuring volunteer drivers receive fair compensation for vehicle use. This change applies to tax years beginning after December 31, 2024.

The Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act aims to support new and veteran farmers by expanding the eligibility window to qualify for assistance from five to ten years. This legislation significantly increases the premium support these groups receive through a tiered subsidy structure over their first ten years of participation. Ultimately, the bill provides enhanced and sustained financial assistance for beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers utilizing crop insurance.

The Rebuild America’s Health Care Schools Act of 2025 updates how hospitals calculate reimbursable costs for running nursing and allied health education programs. This bill expands the types of direct and indirect expenses hospitals can count toward Medicare payments, including costs from related entities and contracted faculty. Furthermore, the Act prohibits the recoupment of payments for costs that will be allowable under the new rules, and mandates refunds for certain past recoupments.

The Preventing Illegal Weapons Trafficking Act of 2025 aims to stop the flow of illegal machinegun conversion devices into the United States. It mandates the creation of a comprehensive federal strategy to detect, trace, and interdict these devices, including those made domestically. Furthermore, the bill enhances the government's ability to forfeit profits derived from illegal machinegun trafficking and requires specific reporting on the use and origin of these conversion devices.

The Dairy Nutrition Incentive Program Act of 2025 establishes a new program to encourage households receiving SNAP benefits to purchase more naturally nutrient-rich dairy products through point-of-sale incentives. The Secretary of Agriculture will award grants to eligible entities to run these projects, prioritizing those that maximize direct incentives for participants. The law mandates rigorous, independent evaluation of all projects to scientifically measure the impact on dairy purchases, with required reporting to Congress.

The Hearing Device Coverage Clarification Act ensures that surgically implanted active middle ear implants are explicitly covered by Medicare. This is achieved by mandating that CMS classify these devices as "prosthetics." This clarification prevents the implants from being excluded under the existing Medicare rule that generally denies coverage for routine hearing aids.

The Scientific EXPERT Act of 2025 establishes a formal process for externally led, science-focused drug development meetings (ELSFDD) aimed at accelerating treatments for rare diseases. These meetings will bring together researchers, patient groups, and industry experts to resolve complex scientific hurdles in drug development and trial design. An independent Foundation will organize these sessions, and the FDA must participate and publicly report on how the resulting scientific input influences final drug approval decisions.

The RTP Full Funding Act of 2025 seeks to fully fund the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) by aligning its annual allocation with the actual non-highway fuel tax revenue generated by recreational users. This legislation aims to close the current funding gap, ensuring the program receives the full user-paid benefit for trail maintenance and development nationwide. The bill mandates the Federal Highway Administration to report the necessary funding level to Congress.

The "Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow's Workforce Act" amends Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code to allow the use of 529 education savings accounts for expenses related to postsecondary credential programs. These programs include workforce training, professional certifications, and licenses. This change expands the definition of qualified higher education expenses to include tuition, fees, books, supplies, equipment, and testing fees associated with recognized postsecondary credentials. The bill aims to make workforce training and professional certifications more accessible and affordable.

The Tribal Adoption Parity Act amends the Internal Revenue Code to recognize Indian tribal governments when determining if a child has special needs for the adoption credit. This change ensures that adoptions facilitated through tribal governments receive the same federal tax benefits as other adoptions involving children with special needs. The act applies to taxable years beginning after the law is enacted.

The Apprenticeships to College Act aims to strengthen the connection between apprenticeship programs and educational institutions. It directs the Secretaries of Labor and Education to form an agreement supporting a college consortium. This consortium will focus on aligning education and apprenticeship records, providing guidance on funding, and creating credit awarding systems for apprenticeship program participants. Participation in the consortium is voluntary for higher education institutions and apprenticeship sponsors.

The Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act extends and modifies the Conrad State 30 program, which allows foreign physicians to work in the U.S. in underserved areas in exchange for a waiver of certain visa requirements. It increases the number of available waivers, provides employment protections for participating physicians, and modifies the requirements for physicians seeking waivers, including allowing them to pursue permanent residency and extending their visas in certain circumstances. The Act also requires annual reporting on the program's usage.

The "Safe and Affordable Drugs from Canada Act of 2025" allows individuals to import prescription drugs from approved Canadian pharmacies under specific conditions, including a valid U.S. prescription and adherence to quality and safety standards. The imported drugs must be for personal use, up to a 90-day supply, and must match the U.S.-approved version in active ingredients, dosage, and strength. Certain types of drugs, like controlled substances and biological products, are excluded from importation. The Secretary will establish and maintain a list of approved Canadian pharmacies that meet strict criteria to ensure drug safety and quality.

The "Safe Home Act of 2025" aims to protect children by addressing unregulated custody transfers, which are defined as the abandonment of a child without ensuring their safety or transferring legal rights. It directs the Secretary to improve public awareness to prevent adoption disruption and dissolution, including unregulated custody transfers of adopted children, by updating federal resources and websites to educate state, local, and tribal child welfare employees and prospective adoptive families on preventing and addressing these transfers, and on accessing adoption support services. The Act also requires a report to Congress on the causes, methods, and effects of unregulated custody transfers, along with recommended policies for prevention and response.