Legislative Activity

This bill expresses support for designating February 15-22, 2025, as "National FFA Week," celebrating the National FFA Organization's role in developing future leaders through agricultural education. It also recognizes the 90th anniversary of New Farmers of America and the 75th anniversary of the Future Farmers of America federal charter.

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 "More Homes on the Market Act" increases the tax exclusion for profit from the sale of a primary residence, raising it to $500,000 for single filers and $1,000,000 for married couples filing jointly. These amounts will be adjusted for inflation starting in 2025. This change encourages homeowners to sell their properties, thereby increasing the availability of homes on the market.

The "Supply Chain Security and Growth Act of 2025" introduces a 40% tax credit for investments in critical supply chain facilities located in U.S. possessions or Puerto Rico, aimed at encouraging reshoring. This credit applies to facilities manufacturing essential items like pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, aerospace equipment and artificial nanomaterials. The bill also increases the deemed credit for taxes paid to a U.S. possession from 80% to 100%. It allows taxpayers to elect to receive direct payments from the IRS for the credit or transfer the credit to unrelated parties.

The "Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act" authorizes the creation of the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum on the National Mall. It ensures the museum's exhibits and programs reflect the diverse experiences and perspectives of women in the United States, seeking guidance from varied sources. The Act mandates regular reports to Congress on the museum's efforts to meet these diversity requirements.

The Dennis and Lois Krisfalusy Act expands eligibility for Department of Veterans Affairs headstones, markers, and burial receptacles. This bill removes the restriction that an individual must have died on or after November 11, 1998, to be eligible.

The "Death Tax Repeal Act" eliminates both estate and generation-skipping transfer taxes, effective from the date of enactment. It adjusts gift tax calculations by setting the lifetime gift exemption at $10,000,000, with inflation adjustments after 2011. The Act also includes transitional rules for applying certain sections of the Internal Revenue Code during the enactment year.

The Protecting America’s Seniors’ Access to Care Act prohibits the Secretary of Health and Human Services from implementing the minimum staffing level rules for nursing homes that were published by CMS on May 10, 2024. This legislation effectively blocks the enforcement of those specific staffing mandates.

The DRILL Now Act prevents river basin commissions from regulating hydraulic fracturing within the Susquehanna, Delaware, and Potomac River basins unless authorized by the respective State. This ensures that state legislatures have the authority to decide on hydraulic fracturing regulations within their jurisdiction.

The Susan Muffley Act of 2025 ensures that eligible participants and beneficiaries under specific pension plans, like the Delphi and PHI retirement programs, receive their full vested benefits. It directs the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to recalculate benefits, provide lump-sum payments for past-due amounts with interest, and establishes a trust fund within the Treasury to cover these increased payments. The act also includes provisions for the tax treatment of lump-sum payments, allowing recipients to spread the income over three years unless they elect otherwise.

The Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 expands milk options available to students in the National School Lunch Program by allowing schools to offer organic or non-organic whole milk. This legislation provides greater flexibility for schools in providing fluid milk choices while maintaining accommodations for students with special dietary needs. Importantly, the saturated fat content of these offered milk options will not count toward the meal's overall saturated fat limits.

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 Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act of 2025 expands public safety officer benefits to include deaths and disabilities caused by exposure-related cancers, presuming that certain cancers diagnosed within 15 years of service are line-of-duty injuries if the officer served for at least 5 years. It defines "exposure-related cancer" and allows for updates to the list based on medical evidence, while also permitting individuals to petition for additions. The Act also clarifies "line of duty action" and applies retroactively to claims dating back to January 1, 2020, with a three-year window for filing claims based on these amendments.

The "Alternatives to PAIN Act" amends Medicare Part D to improve access to non-opioid pain management drugs by waiving deductibles and ensuring they are placed on the lowest cost-sharing tier starting in 2026. The Act also prohibits the use of step therapy and prior authorization requirements for these drugs, further easing access for patients. These changes aim to provide more accessible alternatives for pain management, reducing reliance on opioids.

The "Freight RAILCAR Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit for modernizing freight railcars, encouraging investments in newer, more efficient railcars. Taxpayers can claim a credit equal to 10% of their freight railcar fleet modernization expenses, with a limit of 1,000 qualified freight railcars per year. The credit applies to railcars that increase capacity, improve fuel efficiency, or meet updated performance standards, and is available for three years after the Act's enactment. The Secretary of the Treasury is required to submit a report to Congress detailing the credit's usage and impact on railcar modernization and scrapping.

The Blind Americans Return to Work Act of 2025 initiates a 20-year demonstration project aimed at helping blind Americans receiving Social Security disability benefits return to work. For the first 10 years, eligibility for benefits will be determined without considering substantial gainful activity, and benefits will be reduced based on earnings above a set amount, incentivizing employment without immediate loss of support. The project waives certain benefit requirements to facilitate successful employment, with participants having the option to opt out after the initial 10-year period. This act aims to support blind individuals in their transition back to the workforce while maintaining a safety net.

The "Improve and Enhance the Work Opportunity Tax Credit Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to modify the Work Opportunity Tax Credit, changing the calculation and wage limitations based on employee categories and hours worked. It increases wage limitations for qualified veterans and revises rules for summer youth employees and long-term family assistance recipients. Additionally, the act removes the age limit for qualified supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits recipients, with these changes taking effect for individuals starting work after December 31, 2024.

The "Bonus Tax Relief for America's Seniors Act" increases the standard tax deduction for seniors by raising it from $600 to $5,000. This change will be adjusted for inflation starting in 2026. This adjustment aims to provide additional tax relief to senior citizens. The provisions of this bill will be enacted for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The East Palestine Health Impact Monitoring Act of 2025 mandates a longitudinal study on the health impacts resulting from the February 3, 2023, train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. It directs the Department of Health and Human Services to fund a consortium of higher education institutions to conduct the study and provide progress reports to Congress. The Act authorizes the appropriation of funds through fiscal year 2026 to support the study's execution until September 30, 2030.

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.