Legislative Activity

The "Promotion and Expansion of Private Employee Ownership Act of 2025" aims to promote and expand employee ownership, particularly through S corporation employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs). It includes provisions for tax deferrals on certain stock sales to ESOPs, establishes a Treasury Department office to provide technical assistance for S corporations interested in employee ownership, amends the Small Business Act to support ESOP-owned small businesses, and creates an Advocate for Employee Ownership within the Department of Labor to support and promote employee ownership initiatives. This act seeks to encourage employee ownership by providing resources, removing barriers, and ensuring representation for employee ownership interests within the government.

This bill amends the Social Security Act to limit the amount beneficiaries pay in coinsurance for certain services received in ambulatory surgical centers. Specifically, it ensures that the coinsurance amount for facility services during a year for a surgical procedure does not exceed the inpatient hospital deductible under section 1813(b) of the Social Security Act. If the coinsurance exceeds the inpatient hospital deductible, the bill mandates a reduction in the coinsurance amount to match the deductible, with the government covering the difference to the service supplier. These provisions are set to take effect for services provided on or after January 1, 2026.

The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act introduces a new tax credit to encourage the construction and rehabilitation of homes in distressed communities. This credit aims to bridge the "value gap" that often hinders development in these areas by incentivizing the creation of affordable homes for qualified low- to moderate-income homebuyers. The credit is allocated to developers through state agencies, with specific requirements for affordability, construction standards, and homeowner protection. If the homeowner sells the home within five years, a portion of the profit must be repaid.

The "Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2025" aims to promote healthier lifestyles by allowing taxpayers to use pre-tax dollars for certain physical activities and fitness expenses. It amends the Internal Revenue Code to treat "qualified sports and fitness expenses" as medical care expenses, with limits of $1,000 for individuals and $2,000 for joint returns or heads of household. Qualified expenses include fitness facility memberships, exercise programs, and equipment, subject to specific limitations and guidelines. This act intends to provide financial incentives for individuals and families to engage in regular physical activity and improve their overall health.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to modify the asset test for taxable Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) subsidiaries. It increases the allowable percentage of assets a REIT can hold in a taxable subsidiary from 20 percent to 25 percent. This change applies to taxable years starting after December 31, 2025.

The "Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act" amends the Social Security Act to reinforce protections for patients with End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) under the Medicare Secondary Payer Act. It prevents health plans from discriminating against ESRD patients or making Medicare the primary payer for their healthcare costs. The act clarifies that dialysis services should not be singled out for unfavorable treatment or coverage limits compared to other medical services, while allowing plans to manage their dialysis provider networks.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to classify health care sharing ministry memberships as medical expenses, allowing them to be tax deductible. It clarifies that these ministries are not considered health plans or insurance under the tax code. These changes will apply for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025.

The MATCH IT Act of 2025 aims to improve patient matching in healthcare by establishing a standard definition for patient match rates, developing a minimum data set for accurate patient identification, and incorporating these standards into health IT certification requirements and Medicare programs. The Act also creates incentives for healthcare providers to achieve high patient match rates through a voluntary bonus program and anonymous data submission, with the goal of reducing medical errors, protecting patient privacy, and lowering healthcare costs associated with patient misidentification.

The "Broadband Grant Tax Treatment Act" ensures that broadband grants received from federal, state, local, and tribal programs are not counted as taxable gross income. This act prevents a double benefit by disallowing deductions or credits for expenses covered by these grants and requires a reduction in the property's adjusted basis by the grant amount. It applies to grants from programs like the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment Program and similar initiatives, for taxable years ending after March 11, 2023. The Treasury Secretary is directed to issue regulations to implement these provisions.

The Supporting Innovation in Agriculture Act of 2025 introduces a tax credit for investments in innovative agricultural technology, aiming to boost the production, storage, and processing of specialty crops through precision and controlled environment agriculture. This credit covers 30% of qualified investments in projects using technologies like precision agriculture and controlled environment agriculture, effective for construction starting after January 1, 2025, and includes options for direct payment or transfer of the credit.

This bill amends Title XVIII of the Social Security Act to broaden access to telehealth services under Medicare. It expands the types of healthcare practitioners eligible to provide these services. This change aims to increase convenience and access to healthcare for Medicare beneficiaries.

The "Access Technology Affordability Act of 2025" introduces a tax credit for blind individuals who purchase qualified access technology, such as hardware or software that converts visual information into accessible formats. The credit is capped at $2,000 per blind individual over any three consecutive tax years and will be adjusted for inflation after 2026. This credit is effective for tax years starting after December 31, 2025, and expires after December 31, 2030. It ensures that individuals cannot claim double benefits for the same expenses.

The "Heartbeat Protection Act of 2025" prohibits abortions if a fetal heartbeat is detectable, with exceptions only to save the mother's life or in reported cases of rape or incest. Physicians must check for a fetal heartbeat before performing an abortion and document the findings. Violators may face fines and/or imprisonment, but the mother cannot be prosecuted. The act does not override stricter state laws or create a right to abortion.

This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase the railroad track maintenance credit from $3,500 to $6,100, adjusting for inflation after 2025. It applies to qualified expenditures starting January 1, 2024, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.