Legislative Activity

The GENIUS Act of 2025 establishes a regulatory framework for payment stablecoins, defining who can issue them and setting standards for reserves, redemption policies, and reporting. It mandates federal approval for stablecoin issuers, with an option for state regulation for smaller issuers under certain conditions, and clarifies that payment stablecoins are not securities or commodities. The Act also prioritizes customer protection by requiring custodial services to be supervised and customer assets to be segregated, and it prioritizes stablecoin holders over other creditors in case of issuer insolvency. Finally, it directs the Federal Reserve to establish reciprocal agreements with countries that have similar stablecoin regulations to promote international transactions.

**Title I:** This bill seeks to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal government by revoking prior directives, terminating DEI offices, and restricting DEI-related training and activities. **Title II:** This bill restricts federal training programs from including topics related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and protects employees from mandatory training on these subjects. **Title III:** This bill modifies federal contracting practices by prohibiting the use of federal funds for DEI-related activities and ensuring non-discrimination in federal programs. **Title IV:** This bill restricts the use of federal grant and cooperative agreement funds for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives, while exempting certain offices and institutions. **Title V:** This bill aims to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices within federal advisory committees by outlining specific prohibitions, enforcement mechanisms, and responsibilities for agency administrators and heads to ensure compliance. **Title VI:** This bill addresses accreditation standards for higher education institutions and restricts the use of federal funds by the Secretary of Education related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. **Title VII:** This bill eliminates certain diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and related requirements across various federal agencies and acts. **Title VIII:** This bill focuses on the enforcement and legal standing of the Act, ensuring individuals have the right to seek justice if they believe the law has been violated, and clarifies that the law remains effective even if parts of it are deemed unconstitutional.

This joint resolution disapproves and nullifies the Environmental Protection Agency's rule regarding waste emissions charges for petroleum and natural gas systems. The resolution utilizes the Congressional Review Act to prevent the rule's implementation.

The Fair Access to Banking Act aims to ensure equal access to financial services by preventing banks and credit unions from denying services to individuals or entities engaged in lawful activities based on subjective or politically motivated reasons. It sets requirements for banks with over $10 billion in assets, prohibiting them from denying services based on reputational risk and requiring them to justify denials with documented, risk-based standards. The act also allows individuals to sue financial institutions that violate these requirements, with the potential for treble damages and attorney fees awarded to successful plaintiffs. Furthermore, it restricts access to Federal Reserve lending programs and the Automated Clearing House Network for institutions that fail to comply with the Act.

The Hearing Protection Act seeks to remove silencers from special regulation under federal tax law, treating them similarly to standard firearms components. This bill preempts state and local governments from imposing special taxes or registration requirements on silencers involved in interstate commerce. Furthermore, it mandates the destruction of existing federal records identifying silencer owners and establishes new serial number marking requirements for manufacturers.

The "Knife Owners Protection Act of 2025" allows individuals to transport knives between locations where possession is legal, provided the knives are transported in locked containers and are not directly accessible. It protects individuals from arrest or detention for violating state or local knife laws while in transit, and allows legal action against states or localities that violate these protections. This bill does not limit existing state laws regarding knife possession, carry, or transport, nor does it change restrictions on air travel with knives.

The "Educational Choice for Children Act of 2025" introduces a federal tax credit for individuals and corporations who donate to scholarship granting organizations that provide educational scholarships to eligible elementary and secondary students. These scholarships can be used for tuition, books, tutoring, and other qualified education expenses. The bill sets a volume cap on the total amount of donations eligible for the tax credit and includes provisions to prevent government control over scholarship organizations and non-public schools. It also exempts these scholarship amounts from gross income.

The "A PLUS Act" allows states to submit a declaration of intent to the Secretary of Education to consolidate certain federal education funds, excluding those under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to improve academic achievement. States must ensure transparency and accountability in the use of these funds, focusing on enhancing educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. The Act limits administrative expenses and requires equitable participation of private schools in funded activities. This aims to provide states and local communities more flexibility in deciding how to improve academic achievement and implement education changes.

This resolution designates January 26 through February 1, 2025, as "National School Choice Week," recognizing the importance of diverse educational options (public, charter, magnet, private, online, and homeschooling). It emphasizes the role of parents in choosing the best educational environment for their children and encourages awareness of the benefits of school choice. The resolution supports celebrating educational choice and acknowledges the contributions of students, parents, teachers, and school leaders.

The Laken Riley Act mandates the detention of illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, or shoplifting. It empowers state attorneys general to sue the Department of Homeland Security or the Secretary of State if they believe the state or its residents are harmed by violations of immigration enforcement or visa granting. The bill aims to ensure that these aliens are detained throughout their removal proceedings and to provide states with legal recourse against perceived failures in federal immigration enforcement.

The "Freedom from Government Surveys Act" amends Title 13 of the U.S. Code to make the American Community Survey voluntary. It removes penalties for not participating and mandates that the survey includes a clear statement informing recipients that their participation is not required.

The "FAIR Act of 2025" aims to reform civil asset forfeiture laws by increasing protections for property owners, requiring the government to meet a higher burden of proof, and ensuring that forfeited assets are deposited into the Treasury's General Fund instead of being retained by law enforcement agencies. The bill also addresses structuring transactions to evade reporting requirements, adding stipulations to what constitutes a violation and requiring probable cause hearings for seized property. These changes apply retroactively to ongoing and future civil forfeiture cases.

This concurrent resolution recognizes the significant historical and ongoing contributions of tax-exempt fraternal benefit societies to communities across the United States. It acknowledges their extensive volunteer network and substantial charitable giving, which helps to meet various needs and support financial security. The resolution affirms that their tax-exempt status continues to benefit the country and that their work should be encouraged.

The "Guidance Out Of Darkness Act" or the "GOOD Act" mandates federal agencies to publish both new and existing guidance documents online in a central, easily accessible location. This aims to increase transparency by ensuring the public has access to agency policies and interpretations. The Act requires agencies to categorize these documents and maintain a record of rescinded guidance, while also exempting information protected by the Freedom of Information Act.

The "Main Street Tax Certainty Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the deduction for qualified business income permanent. This is achieved by eliminating the expiration date for this deduction. This change provides long-term tax certainty for small businesses.

The "Promoting Domestic Energy Production Act" amends the Internal Revenue Code to change how intangible drilling and development costs are calculated for adjusted financial statement income, specifically regarding depreciation and depletion expenses. It allows companies to deduct these costs, aligning financial statement income calculations more closely with taxable income calculations. These changes apply to taxable years starting after December 31, 2025.

The "PEACE Act of 2025" prohibits federal funds from supporting American History and Civics Education programs that promote divisive concepts related to race. Divisive concepts include race stereotyping, race scapegoating, or promoting the idea that one race is superior, the U.S. is fundamentally racist, or that individuals are inherently racist due to their race. The bill aims to prevent the teaching of concepts that assign fault or blame based on race, or that suggest meritocracy and hard work are racist.

The "Resiliency for Ranching and Natural Conservation Health Act" allows the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior to provide temporary grazing land to permit or lease holders whose original land is unusable due to natural disasters. It outlines terms for these temporary permits, prioritizing ecological conditions and coordination between agencies. The bill ensures temporary use doesn't alter original permit terms or future grazing rights and requires the Secretaries to establish implementation guidelines and evaluate land health conditions.

The Northwest Energy Security Act directs the Secretaries of Interior, Energy, and Army to manage the Federal Columbia River Power System (FCRPS) according to the guidelines in the Columbia River System Operations Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision, dated September 2020. It also establishes a process by which the Secretaries can make changes to the operation of the FCRPS. Finally, the bill prohibits actions that would reduce electricity production at FCRPS dams or limit navigation on the Snake River without explicit congressional approval.

The Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act aims to protect U.S. agriculture by including it under the oversight of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This bill adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the CFIUS committee and expands CFIUS authority to review transactions that could result in foreign control of U.S. businesses involved in agriculture. Additionally, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Comptroller General are required to analyze foreign influence in the U.S. agriculture industry and submit a report to Congress.