Legislative Activity

The EdCOPS Act of 2025 establishes a new Public Safety Officer Education Assistance Program to aid in the recruitment and retention of law enforcement personnel. This program provides financial assistance for education, which eligible officers can use for themselves or transfer to their child. Benefits are contingent upon meeting specific service requirements and are administered by the Attorney General with regulations prioritizing those with greater financial need.

The Extreme Heat Economic Study Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive economic study, led by the head of NOAA, to quantify the financial costs associated with extreme heat events. This study must calculate losses across health, property damage, lost productivity, and infrastructure disruption, including the cost of human life. The resulting report will offer recommendations for a national system to track these heat-related economic impacts and must be published within four years.

The LIHEAP Parity Act aims to standardize how states receive funding under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). This bill removes an outdated exception in the current funding allotment formula. Furthermore, it requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to issue clear regulations detailing the exact data sources and update frequency used to calculate each state's share of LIHEAP funds.

The Youth Substance Use Prevention and Awareness Act amends federal grant usage to specifically fund public service announcement (PSA) campaigns aimed at preventing substance use among young people. Grantees can now use these funds for creating and running age-appropriate PSAs across various media platforms, including funding youth-led PSA contests. Furthermore, the Attorney General is required to issue an annual report detailing the funded campaigns, the research supporting them, and their effectiveness.

The Shipbuilding and Harbor Infrastructure for Prosperity and Security for America Act of 2025 establishes a comprehensive framework to revitalize the U.S. maritime industry, shipbuilding capacity, and merchant marine workforce. It centralizes national maritime oversight, creates a dedicated Maritime Security Trust Fund financed partly by penalties on foreign-linked vessels, and mandates increased use of U.S.-flagged ships for government and certain commercial cargo. Ultimately, the bill aims to secure critical sealift capabilities and boost domestic maritime economic competitiveness against foreign rivals.

The Building Ships in America Act of 2025 introduces significant tax incentives to revitalize the U.S. shipbuilding industry, including a new investment tax credit for building qualifying vessels in American shipyards. The bill also establishes a 25% credit for constructing shipyard facilities and provides tax exemptions for certain maritime security payments and student incentive agreements. Furthermore, it treats designated "maritime prosperity zones" as Opportunity Zones to encourage related economic development.

The Save Our Forests Act of 2025 aims to strengthen the management of our national forests by immediately boosting Forest Service staffing levels. This legislation mandates the hiring of new personnel and the reinstatement of employees dismissed between January 20 and February 25, 2025. Furthermore, it ensures the continuation of authorized Forest Service projects funded under existing major conservation and infrastructure laws.

The Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2025 settles water rights claims for the Navajo Nation, Hopi Tribe, and San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe by ratifying a settlement agreement, allocating Arizona Colorado River Water, and authorizing the construction of the iin b paa tuwaqatsi pipeline to deliver potable water. The Act establishes trust funds for each tribe to manage water projects, operation and maintenance, agricultural conservation, and renewable energy development, while also including waivers, releases, and retention of specific claims. The Act requires the Secretary of the Interior to execute the settlement agreement and fulfill its provisions, contingent upon specific conditions and funding authorizations, to ensure the tribes receive the water resources necessary for their communities and future development. Additionally, the Act ratifies a treaty and creates a reservation for the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe.

The Protect our Parks Act of 2025 mandates the Secretary of the Interior to immediately ensure full staffing, including all maintenance positions, across the National Park Service. This Act also requires the reinstatement of any NPS employees involuntarily removed between January 20 and February 25, 2025. Furthermore, it authorizes the continuation of existing, funded National Park Service projects under several key federal acts.

The HIDTA Enhancement Act reauthorizes funding for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTAs) through 2030, mandating specific reporting on fentanyl trafficking and associated challenges. It increases funding for the Counterdrug Technology Assessment Center to support law enforcement efforts against fentanyl and directs the Attorney General to prioritize fentanyl trafficking prosecutions by providing additional resources. The bill allocates $333,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2025 through 2030 for HIDTAs.

The Water Infrastructure Subcontractor and Taxpayer Protection Act of 2025 amends the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act of 2014 to protect taxpayers and subcontractors. It mandates payment and performance security for construction projects receiving federal financial assistance. The Act ensures that either state/local laws provide sufficient security or the Secretary/Administrator enforces federal bond requirements.

The Combating Cartels on Social Media Act of 2025 mandates a comprehensive federal assessment of how transnational criminal organizations utilize social media and digital platforms to recruit individuals for illicit activities. The bill directs the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and the Department of State to develop and implement a national strategy to counter these recruitment efforts while prioritizing civil rights and privacy protections. This initiative aims to improve interagency coordination and international collaboration without granting new regulatory authorities or requiring additional federal funding.

The PRECEPT Nurses Act establishes a $2,000 annual tax credit for nurses and healthcare providers who complete at least 200 hours of clinical preceptorship in designated health professional shortage areas. This initiative aims to strengthen the nursing workforce by incentivizing experienced professionals to mentor nursing students and newly hired nurses. The program is set to run from 2026 through 2032, with mandated reporting to evaluate its impact on clinical training capacity.