Legislative Activity

The COAL Act of 2025 mandates the swift processing and approval of all pending, qualified coal lease applications that were already undergoing environmental review upon enactment. It requires the Secretary to finalize necessary valuations and grant these leases as soon as possible. Furthermore, this Act explicitly repeals Secretarial Order 3338, removing previous restrictions on future coal leasing.

This resolution officially designates the week beginning October 19, 2025, as "Coal Week." It serves to recognize and commend the workers in the coal industry for their vital contributions to American energy security and economic stability. The bill also highlights coal's historical importance and its continued role in providing reliable, affordable electricity.

This bill, the Congressional Award Program Reauthorization Act, extends the authorization for the Congressional Award Program for an additional five years, moving the termination date from 2023 to 2028. It also updates the statutory language regarding the description of the Congressional Award medals. These changes are effective retroactively to October 1, 2023.

The Diesel Truck Liberation Act of 2025 prohibits the federal government from mandating, certifying, or enforcing any requirement for emissions control devices or onboard diagnostic systems on vehicles and engines. This legislation voids existing EPA regulations and eliminates all civil or criminal penalties related to the manufacture, sale, or use of vehicles without these emission control systems. It also mandates the immediate release of individuals currently imprisoned for violations concerning these devices.

This joint resolution expresses Congress's formal disapproval of a specific rule submitted by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding the Buffalo Field Office Resource Management Plan Amendment. By invoking the Congressional Review Act, this action immediately nullifies the BLM's submitted rule, preventing it from taking effect. Essentially, Congress is overriding the BLM's decision on this land management plan.

Connor's Law establishes a mandatory English language proficiency requirement for all commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators. Drivers must be able to read traffic signs, communicate with the public and officials, and complete necessary paperwork in English. Failure to meet this standard will result in the driver being immediately placed out of service.

This resolution officially designates October 4, 2025, as "National Energy Appreciation Day." It celebrates the vital role of the U.S. energy sector in driving the economy, creating jobs, and improving quality of life globally. The bill emphasizes support for an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy, recognizing the contributions of fossil fuels, coal, nuclear, hydro, and renewables. It encourages public events to raise awareness about the importance of reliable and affordable energy.

This Act authorizes the creation and issuance of a new circulating $2.50 coin to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The bill also allows the Treasury Secretary to mint special numismatic (collector's) $2.50 coins in precious metals. Both coin types will feature initial designs inspired by the 1926 Sesquicentennial Gold Coin, celebrating American liberty and heritage. Congress hopes these coins will be available by July 4, 2026.

The Endangered Species Recovery Act of 2025 officially renames the foundational Endangered Species Act of 1973 to the Endangered Species Recovery Act. This change is purely titular, meaning all existing laws and regulations will now reference the new title. The bill ensures consistency by updating all official government documents to reflect the new name immediately.

The 21st Century Mortgage Act of 2025 directs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to allow borrowers to count qualifying digital assets as part of their financial reserves when assessing single-family mortgage loan risk. These assets must be held under a qualified custodial arrangement to be considered. The agencies must apply risk adjustments based on the volatility and liquidity of the digital assets included in the reserve calculation.

This bill, the STUDENT Act, seeks to fundamentally restructure the National Education Association (NEA) due to Congress's findings that it has become a partisan political entity rather than an educational organization. It imposes strict new requirements on membership dues collection from government employees, bans the organization from engaging in political activities, and prohibits it from promoting certain ideological beliefs in schools. Furthermore, the Act repeals a specific federal property tax exemption currently enjoyed by the organization in the District of Columbia.

The Wyoming Education Trust Modernization Act updates existing state law regarding funds generated from public lands set aside for education. This bill technically amends the original 1890 Act by standardizing the terminology used to describe the returns from these educational trust lands. Specifically, it replaces terms like "interest" and "income thereof" with the consistent phrase "earnings on" or "earnings on which."

This bill aims to reform the U.S. tax treatment of digital assets by establishing clear definitions for assets like cryptocurrency. It introduces a *de minimis* exception to prevent taxpayers from reporting small gains or losses from everyday digital asset purchases. Furthermore, the legislation updates rules for asset lending, wash sales, dealer accounting (mark-to-market), income from mining/staking, and charitable contributions involving digital assets.

The Pay Down the Debt Act mandates that any federal grant funds voluntarily declined by states or local governments must be rescinded. All rescinded funds will be directly deposited into the Treasury's general fund. This dedicated revenue stream is exclusively earmarked for reducing the national deficit.

The Responsible Innovation and Safe Expertise (RISE) Act of 2025 aims to encourage responsible AI development by establishing clear rules for transparency and liability. The bill grants conditional civil immunity to AI developers if they provide comprehensive documentation, including Model Cards and Specifications, detailing their AI's capabilities and limitations. This protection shields developers from liability when a licensed professional uses the AI in their practice, provided the developer maintains up-to-date documentation. Ultimately, the Act seeks to foster trust and manage risks associated with rapidly advancing AI technologies.

The Small Projects Expedited Execution and Delivery Act (SPEED Act) significantly raises the financial thresholds for transportation projects to qualify for expedited environmental review. Specifically, it doubles the maximum federal assistance cap to $\$12$ million and increases the total project cost limit to $\$70$ million for projects eligible for categorical exclusion. This change aims to speed up the delivery of smaller infrastructure projects by reducing lengthy environmental review requirements for those with limited federal funding.

The Autonomous Vehicle Acceleration Act of 2025 aims to modernize federal safety regulations to facilitate the deployment of advanced self-driving vehicles (Level 4 and Level 5). This legislation directs the Secretary of Transportation to update existing Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to accommodate designs that lack traditional human controls, based on prior recommendations. Furthermore, the Act mandates the creation of a comprehensive roadmap to support the domestic design, manufacturing, and widespread commercial use of autonomous vehicles.

The Forest Protection and Wildland Firefighter Safety Act of 2025 streamlines firefighting operations by exempting the use of approved fire retardants during wildfire suppression from standard federal water pollution discharge permits. This change ensures that necessary aerial application of Forest Service-qualified products does not require an NPDES permit. The bill focuses on removing regulatory hurdles for essential wildfire control activities.

The Common Cents Act mandates the cessation of regular production of the one-cent coin one year after enactment, though collector pennies may still be minted. For cash transactions, the final total will be rounded to the nearest five cents, following specific rounding rules. All existing pennies will remain legal tender indefinitely.

The Interactive Federal Review Act aims to speed up environmental reviews for major federally funded highway projects by mandating the use of modern digital tools, such as 3D models ("digital twins") and interactive platforms. This encourages faster analysis and better public understanding of project impacts under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Furthermore, the bill prioritizes grant applications that include a plan to utilize these advanced digital tools for environmental review and community engagement. The Secretary of Transportation must issue guidance and report to Congress on the effectiveness of these new digital workflows.